Zero To Remember Us
by Cutie Kyuubi
Summary: I still remember the very day I was first created, my first sight was of him. My creator, the Scientist. I don't know what his name was. I only knew him as the Scientist or, as he would come to be known as, the Source. He was the one that dubbed me, "Zero," as marked by the round zero on my back. "Zero to remember us."
1. Chapter 1

**I decided to create another fan fiction, even though I am still working on "Katie," right now. However, 9 Has become, something of an obsession with me, and I simply had to write this story. I do not own 9 or the original idea for a character named, "0," however, this particular zero, and her story, belongs to me.**

When I was created, there was much beauty in the world. I still remember it; the days before the great war. The sky was a bright blue, the sun still shone, and flowers bloomed in all the colors ever imagined by a single person. But, that was before the Chancellor took the BRAIN and used it for war. Before the machines turned.

I still remember the very day I was first created. My hands were made of some type of metal. My cloth-like skin was soft. Softer than the material that was used to create five and nine, but not like the leather used to make one. My legs resembled those of the creatures the Scientist had called, "dogs." The end of my feet being rather small, while the middle being longer and rose at an angle. My knee bends forward much farther than any of the others' knees. Their design differs from mine in that perspective. My legs are built to absorb more shock than the others' though. I'm able to jump higher, and run faster than any of them as well. My first sight was of him. My creator, the Scientist. I don't know what his name was. I only knew him as the Scientist or, as he would come to be known as, the Source. He was an old man by the reckoning of humans. His hair thin and balding, white as the snows in winter. But his eyes were as bright as the youths I saw, whilst hiding on the top shelf. He was very kind, as I recall, and very full of guilt. He was the one that dubbed me, "Zero," as marked by the round zero on my back.

"Zero to remember us," he said, and I knew that was my purpose; to remember. He built me just after he created the BRAIN. At the time, he knew someone would miss use it. For, it had no sense of right and wrong. It only knew what logic was, and what it was ordered to do.

During my first few weeks alive, I loved to spend time staring out the window of the Scientists house. Other humans walked far below us, and some, even, had smaller humans that would cling to their hands. The Scientist called them, "children." Funny little things; they seemed less sure on their feet then the bigger humans were. I would go with the Scientist as he went out, at times. The gardens were what I remembered most. Many flowers of every shape and size grew there, and the trees! They were so tall that I'd have to look, nearly, straight up into the sky just to see the leaves that grew on them. Others grew fruit that the humans would pick and eat, or make into other things. The Scientist bought one of these things, once. An apple tart I believe. He seemed to enjoy it but, having no sense of taste, I wouldn't know. I even saw the BRAIN once or twice. A monstrous thing in my opinion.

However, things did not remain peaceful for long.

One day, while I was reading through a book on various animals, the Scientist came into the room. His face was contorted into one of worry, and his hair was dis shelved. He had told me that the Chancellor had, "commandeered," (as he described it), the BRAIN, and planned to use it to make weapons of mass destruction. I saw on the telly that the Chancellor had called them, "Machines of peace." Load of rubbish, in my opinion. I had seen what he planned to build, and machines of peace would not, normally, be built with guns attached. This is when everything went wrong.

I don't know why the machines decided to turn, maybe they thought of humans as obsolete. They probably wondered why they were killing some humans and not others. That, if all the humans were dead, there would be no more reason to fight. Or, maybe, they just were sick of being told what to do. Either way, they began to turn on the very ones they were created by, and the Scientist began to make more of us.


	2. Chapter 2

**Wow, I never expected my story to be so popular so quickly! **

**Props to 5x10 Love for being the first to review, whoever you are, and yeah, it is stupid that they call machines with guns, "machines of peace." Bollocks!**

**Skullwitch57- I love your stories! I can't believe that you read and reviewed to one of mine!**

**Now then, onto the story!**

It was then that the Scientist began working on One. It took him a while to perfect his design, but not as long for the situation concerning the BRAIN to take a turn for the worst. Before One was awoken, the battle against the machines had begun. I wasn't allowed outside after it started. There probably wasn't much to see anyway. The telly would report on the situation everyday, and it was progressively getting worse. Buildings around the factory were completely destroyed. It didn't take long before the destruction spread. We managed to avoid must of the attention of the machines, but others weren't so lucky.

Perhaps this was why One was so strict, and cruel. If only he had seen the world before, he might have turned out different. When he awoke, I could tell he wasn't necessarily the kindest stitchpunk I would meet, but he did have his moments. He didn't show kindness like the others would, his kindness was more subtle; it was there though.

The Scientist never let me see the process by which he had created us. He said it was not for me to know, as it should never be attempted by anyone, other than him. However, as soon as they were each created, and awoke for the first time, I was brought in to make sure their first moments in life were always remembered.

One was put here to protect us. Though, I'm not sure how he would be able to do that. He seemed frail, but he was up to the challenge. He seemed to dislike our creator. Maybe because of all the destruction the war with the machines was causing. Once the creator told him of the war, One was devastated. He left soon after, snuck out in the night. The Scientist seemed unconcerned. When I asked him why, he replied, "One's purpose is not here." I was confused about that, and I worried about if he would be alright. It's because he was created after I was. I care about all of the others, seeing as I am the oldest.

Two was created soon after One had left. Two to inspire us. He was always a funny character. He seemed much more like a father figure than One was. I can honestly say that I loved him. In a way that a daughter loves her father. Even though I am physically older than him, mentally I'd be more like Six, or the twins, whom I'll get to later. He was exceedingly clever, as well. The very first thing he did when he awoke, was to create that hat he likes to wear. He had found some old supplies the Scientist had kept around, and combined those with a candle, and a spoon. The Scientist was so impressed, said Two was really living up to his purpose.

Two took the news about the war better than One had. He didn't blame the humans, or our creator. He simply accepted it. He was much more kind than One had been, and he left after a few days to go and find him. Two was truly and inspiring person.

The twins were created next, Three to define us, and Four to teach us. They both were mute, and they communicated through fast flashes of their optics. I could understand them easily, though the Scientist had a little more trouble with it. They loved to learn about, well, pretty much everything. They stayed with us the longest, cataloging everything that was in the house with us.

While the twins were busy cataloging, the Scientist had created Five. Five's purpose is to guide us. He seemed a lot like Two, in my opinion. He could fix anything, so long as he had the proper supplies. He was nice, if a little timid. Though he was created to guide us, he needs a little bit of a push to gain some confidence.

He did manage to fix the Scientist's record player! It was then that I discovered, I adored music! After he fixed the record player and the Scientist had put on a record, I was entranced. I had started dancing with Five, and the twins even stopped cataloging for a while to join in on the fun. Though it didn't last long. The Scientist had told them of the others before them, and they soon left, together, to join them.

Six is my favorite of all the stitchpunks. Maybe because we are both artist in our own way. He would always be drawing away, anything he had seen had been jotted down onto a piece of paper. Six is meant to lead us, and I'm proud to say that I would follow him. He loved to hear me sing, stopping in his drawing to stare at me with those two, mismatched optics. I, in turn, would often watch him draw. The way he could capture the essence of anything he drew fascinated me. He would hum when he drew at times, not any particular song, just his tuneless humming that I had grown to enjoy as much as any other song.

The Scientist had told Six of the war and the other stitchpunks, but he didn't seem to really care. He wasn't interested in finding them, he just wanted to stay with me. Unfortunately, that wouldn't last.

When Seven was created, the Scientist had barely been able to tell her about the war, the other stitchpunks, and her purpose (to defend us), before she leaped out the window to find them. From what I could gather about her, from our brief meeting, she was a very strong individual, and she was kind, though I wish I could have talked with her more.

Eight, however, is another story. He isn't the sharpest tool in the shed, but he was the biggest. He always picked on Six, tearing up his artwork or pouring out his ink. Though he is our guard, he wasn't very kind. He loved to point out that he was stronger than us. By this time, Two had found One and they both had come back to the house. Eight took a shine to One immediately, they then decided to take Six with them when they left again. They wanted me to come with them but, by this time, the Scientist had started working on Nine and I needed to stay there to remember when he awoke as well. Six was very upset when they left with him. He wanted to stay with me, but One decided that it wasn't safe in the house and took him with.

Unfortunately, Nine's awakening was a lot different than the others. Everything went wrong.


	3. Chapter 3

**Holy Hell! Four pages, this Chapter! Took me all day to write it, but I'm extremely happy with it! Thank you very much, Dreadingthedaywhenyourgone for reviewing! And to all of you nameless people who are following this story!**

I was in the other room, as was normal for when the Scientist was working on a new stitchpunk, when I heard something quite heavy fall to the ground. Alarmed, I ran into the Scientist's workshop to find our creator on the floor. He wasn't moving, I tried to wake him, but he wasn't breathing. It was then that I realized, he was dead. I started to sob. He created us, after all, it was natural for me to mourn his passing. As I glanced over at him, I saw that his glasses weren't on his face. I scanned the room, thinking they could have fallen off when he fell. Not seeing them, I had the idea to look onto the desk. _Maybe he took them off before working on Nine? _I jumped onto his chair, and from there his desk, where I found them neatly folded and put to the side.

Grabbing them, I took a quick look around. There was some sort of paddle, or sign maybe, that was thrown carelessly to the side. I disregarded it, I had no clue what it was. All his other tools were right where he left them. Again, I disregarded them. They were always there, why should I bother to notice them? Finally I found him. Nine was hanging from a small cord tied to his wrist. The Scientist hadn't awaken him yet. I'll just have to wait until he woke up himself.

I turned and jumped to the floor, the Scientist's glasses in hand. I walked up to his lifeless body, and gently placed his glasses into his front, shirt, pocket. He usually kept them there when reading. I carefully placed my hand on his face. _If only I could have said goodbye..._ I noticed his hand was resting on a wooden box. I didn't care. Now that he was gone, I was the only one to welcome Nine to this war-filled world. So I jumped back up to the desk, sat on the edge, and waited.

I don't know how long I sat there waiting. It must have been years. If only I knew how to wake up Nine myself, we could have gone together to find the others. I wonder how Six is doing? Did he draw anything new? What had the twins cataloged since they went out into the world? Did Five and them find One, Two, Eight and Six? And what about Seven? What happened to her?

The Scientists body began to wither, becoming mummified. The gas had killed everything outside. That must have included bacteria, because nothing ate away at his body. It just, sort of, shrunk. Like a piece of fruit left out in the sun for too long. But there was no sun. There was no rain. The seasons were gone as well. It was just cold. Not quite like winter, more like fall, but with fall comes beauty. There was no beauty here. The noise outside, the gunfire, bombs being dropped, the footsteps of those monstrous machines, had all stopped a long time ago. It happened so slowly, I didn't even notice it. Where was everyone? Had the war ended? Why hasn't anyone come back? Did they forget about me?

_THUD._

I jumped as something fell behind me. I turned to see Nine on the desktop. Looking up, I saw the cord holding up Nine had been frayed, and finally snapped. A small, round object rolled away, but I paid it no mind. My focus was on the stitchpunk before me. He started to move, his hand lifting his body as he sat up. He raised his other hand to his face, and tapped his optic. At the sound, he looked at his hand. The reaction of him seeing his hand for the first time amused me so much, I ended up laughing. Startled, he jumped back, and looked up to me like I might attack him.

I raised my hand welcomingly, "Don't worry, I won't hurt you." He seemed to calm down. I guess I could have presented myself better, made a bit more effort to try to not scare him. I tried walking towards him, but my leg seized up and I fell forward, hitting the desk quite hard. I let out a gasp of pain as I hit, alarming the newly awakened stitchpunk as he ran to me to help.

As he helped me sit up, my left leg straight out as it seemed it was stuck, he tried to speak. Yet, no sound came out. He lifted his hand to his neck in confusion and tried again. Still nothing. He looked at me, I new he was trying to ask if I was alright, so I answered, waving off the concerned look he gave me, "I'm fine. Don't worry, when we find the others, Two and Five can fix me right up." At his inquiring look I continued, "And I'm sure they can find out what's wrong with your voice, as well."

Smiling, he stood up, pulling me with him when he noticed the round object that I had seen earlier. Making sure I was stable enough to stand on my own, he walked over and picked it up. I looked over to see him studying it, his hand brushing the top gently. Noticing I was looking at him, Nine, quickly, put it in his zipper, and helped me to walk off the desk.

"I'm Zero, by the way," I had started talking, even though I knew he couldn't talk back. It's been so long since I had been able to talk to anyone, I simply couldn't stop. He paused in surprise when he saw the Scientist, dead on the ground, but I patted his arm and lead him onward.

While we hopped down the front steps (me on one leg), I continued to talk about life before the war. I loved to think back on such a peaceful time, that was my purpose after all, to remember and to remind the others about the past. "Those who don't learn from history, are doomed to repeat it," I said to Nine. He simply nodded, unable to reply as we passed by a car. Inside was a woman holding her baby. Nine jumped in surprise, letting out a soundless scream. I comforted him, "Oh, Nine, there is nothing to fear from those who have passed on." He still seemed frightened, but he seemed to draw strength from my words as we continued on.

I continued to talk about life before as we passed by a large mountain of rubble. I sighed in slight angst and fell silent. Nine, hearing me sigh and had stopped talking, looked at me in confusion. I simply shook my head, "Everything is just, so different from before.. I was just wondering, how-?" A clattering noise above the rubble cut me short. Looking up, we saw a light shining from behind one of the fallen machines. Alarmed, Nine and I hid behind a metal slab, the heavy breathing that it made was getting closer. I have never been so afraid before. I clutched Nine's arm and he patted my hand. Looking around, he grabbed a wrench, and held it close. I let go of his arm as I realized what he was going to do. The breathing noise was right around the corner now, Nine swung, and hit whatever it was. The light went out and I heard it let out a huff in surprise as it fell to the ground.

Nine and I looked out at it and I gasped. It was Two! He looked up, a look of shock fell upon his face, "Zero?"

"Two? I can't believe it's you!" I limped out to hug him as Nine hid behind the metal slab again. Turning back to look at him I said softly, "It's OK, Nine, he's a friend." Nine, realizing what he had done, dropped his weapon and ran forward to make sure the older stitchpunk was alright.

Two moved the glass in front of his face as he laughed slightly, taking Nine's hands. "Yes, I had always hoped.." He broke off as he grabbed Nine's arm as he spun around to look at the number on his back, then, looking at his hands, he marveled at the craftsmanship, "Carved wood, molded copper." He looked back up at Nine only to have the younger stitchpunk shake his head and motion towards his throat as he mouthed what he tried to say.

"You can't speak?" He looked down and motioned toward Nine's zipper. Nine complied, and Two looked around inside. He looked to the side in thought as he muttered a quick affirmative, before moving off. He motioned towards us, "Come with me." Nine wrapped an arm around me and helped me to follow Two as he led us to the rollerskate he'd been pulling. Two lit a match and put it to the candle on his head, before waving out the flame and looking around at a doll. Nine had set me down onto a rock to rest, my leg stretched out in front of me. I rubbed my locked up foot, as it was causing some discomfort, I'll have Two look at it later. I didn't notice Nine tapping at a bullet until Two shouted, "STOP!" I jumped in surprise as Nine halted in his attempt to smash the bullet against a rock. Two reached for it and Nine handed it over, "Some things in this world are.. are better left where they lie," He placed it gently onto the skate as he reached for the voice-box he had gotten for Nine, "But, if you know where to look," He opened Nine's zipper and placed it inside, "these ruins are full of riches," He connected some wires, and Nine gave a start as the audible sound of an electric spark was heard.

I let out a laugh as he tried to talk, but all that came out was garbled static, "Excellent work, Two!"

"Thank you, Zero, but it's not quite connected right yet."

After a few more tweaks (and unsuccessful attempts at speaking) later, Nine was able to say his first word, "Friend?"

"Friend," Two nodded, as he pushed the glass away from his face, smiling at the sound of the stitchpunk's new voice. Looking down, he moved the fabric, gesturing to something Nine had inside, "What's this?" Nine reached in and pulled out the strange round object, handing it to two as he laughed, "You found it! He- he's always drawing this."

"You mean, Six?" I joined in on the conversation, leaning forward slightly.

Two noticed my leg and walked over as Nine looked around, "Yes, Six. Now, what happened to your leg?" He placed his right hand on my leg while the left cradled the object. It seemed to be some sort of talisman, now that I look at it.

"I've been sitting for so long, waiting for Nine to wake up. It must have locked together when I tried walking."

"It might just need some oil, or minor tuning. I'll take a look when we get back home."

Nine had turned back to us and asked, "Are we alone?"

Two, thinking he was talking about the others, went to place a hand on his shoulder, "No, no-" an audible groaning sound was heard in the distance as Two looked around for the source. He place a finger to his lips, "Shh.." and pushed Nine towards me and motioned to the can, "go!" Nine helped me up and started pulling me away, but I turned towards Two as he put out the candle on his head.

"What about you?" I asked as he pulled out a spear staff.

"I'll be fine, my dear. Just get in the can, go on," Knowing I was in no shape to help, I obeyed. Climbing in with Nine following close behind.

Nine held me to him as we both huddled in the far end of the can, the groaning was coming closer. I heard Two breathing heavily outside. Nine poked his head out to look but I stayed where I was. There was a vague clinking noise, Two gasped, and a roar was heard. I cowered in fear, how I desperately wished that Two would be OK. I heard another roar, Two was screaming, and something made a crashing noise. Nine gasped in shock before pulling himself back inside. He was breathing heavily, and I mentally cursed his action. He had rocked the can in his panic!

A light shone into the hole as the thing came closer. I had to restrain myself from cursing when Nine shook the can again. Then it started walking away, the light moving on. I sighed in silent relief, as Nine, slowly, made to look out of the can. But he shouted in surprise as a giant claw shoved itself inside. I screamed as Nine shuffled towards me, panting heavily, the claw reaching for him. Another claw pierced the side of the can, we both pressed ourselves to the wall, desperately trying to avoid the sharp claws reaching for us.

As the thing took away the claw, it tipped the can over, peering into the hole to find us. I heard a faint clank, like bone hitting against rock, and Two yelling to grab it's attention away from us. As it neared Two, Nine grabbed me and we both ran as fast as we could (which wasn't easy, me being crippled) out the other, smaller hole. I was slightly smaller than Nine, so I had no trouble squeezing through. Nine, however, was slashed by the sharp metal on his left shoulder. He grunted in pain, but still managed to keep moving.

We hid behind two large rocks, just as the thing looked back into the can. Not finding us, it threw the can in frustration, barely missing the tops of our heads. Nine clutched his shoulder as I looked out from behind the rocks. The thing looked like a cat, and had Two in its jaws as it grabbed the talisman. Two saw me, and reached out an arm in a desperate plea for help. As the thing ran off, and Two cried out in pain as the sudden movement jostled him; his hat fell off, and broke upon contact with the ground.

I looked away. At times like this, I wish I was unable to remember as well as I can. When I opened my eyes, I saw Nine. He clutched his shoulder, but tried to hide the pain. He looked over at me, and placed his right arm under mine, "We should move on." I nodded leaning against him, hopefully we'll find the others.

After walking for such a long time, the sun began to set, and I could tell that Nine was losing strength. He was leaning on me about as much as I was leaning on him. Finally, he collapsed, pulling me down with him. I let out a grunt in pain as I rolled out from under his arm. I looked over to find he was unconscious. I dragged him underneath a small over hang. Hoping it would provide some shelter from any spying eyes. I sat against the wall behind me and pulled Nine's unconscious form close to me.

_How am I supposed to find the others? They could be anywhere in this wasteland._ I looked down at Nine. He almost looked like he could be sleeping. As I waited for him to gain consciousness, I hummed a soft song that I would often sing to Six while he recovered from his visions. Dies Irae was the name. The Scientist had a record of monks singing in a strange language. I couldn't understand it, but I remembered every word. It seemed to help, as Nine seemed to relax some in his restful state. Before I knew it, I had fallen asleep as well.


	4. Chapter 4

**Woo Hoo! I have officially been bitten by the inspiration bug! It seems like the chapters are getting longer, and longer as I write! Hopefully you like this chapter, cause I wasn't too happy with how Zero was reunited with Six.**

**First off, Skullwitch- In the movie, Five had seen Nine fall over, so here in the story, he would have spotted them before she dragged Nine under the small over hang. **

**5x10 Love- Thank you very much for liking Zero! And of _course_ there's a budding romance between them! Six is my favorite character! No matter how many times I watch this movie, I always cry when a character dies. I'm always sobbing by the end. I'm hoping they make a sequel or something.**

**Anyway, onto the story!**

I don't know how long I had been asleep, only that I was woken up by someone shaking my shoulder.

"Zero? Zero! Wake up!"

I groaned, slowly opening my eyes to see who was shaking me. Upon glancing up at him, I gasped in shock, "Five? What happened to you?" I lifted my right arm to touch the patch now covering where his left optic used to be.

He chuckled slightly, "I'll tell you later. Who is this?" He gestured to Nine.

"This is Nine. His shoulder is torn open, and he's really weak. Also, my leg isn't working proporly," I wiggled my foot and he grasped it gently, examining it.

"I should easily be able to fix it. Can you walk, at least?"

"Yeah, but don't expect me to run any races," He laughed at that and helped me stand up. He, then stooped over Nine and, gently, pulled him up, placing him onto the roller skate he'd brought with. It must have been the pair to the one Two had. I held onto the skate to keep my balance as Five pulled it forward. Trying to carry Nine by myself would have been impossible. Especially with my leg the way it is. But, with Five and his roller skate, we were off without any problems.

We walked slowly, mainly due to my legs limited mobility. We passed many ruined building and downed structured. A scar on the earth due to the ravages of war. I found myself asking Five about what happened to him after he and the twins left. He said that the war had hindered their progress in finding the others. Seven was the one who actually found them, and she had brought the three to One, Two, Eight, and Six. He explained that that's when he lost his left optic. A bomb going off near by had made him lose his balance, and caused him to fall behind. When he tried to run, another bomb went off behind him, and he flipped, landing on his left optic, shattering it clean off.

"Oh, Five! That's awful!" I exclaimed, looking at him in sympathy. He waved it off.

"It's not so bad. I passed out just as Two and Seven were helping me. Next thing I knew, we were in the Cathedral."

"The Cathedral? Is that where we're going?"

"Yeah, you can see it from here, actually," He pointed to a tall building up ahead, "Six is going to be so happy to see you, Zero. He's always humming-"

"He always hums when he draws."

"Well, yeah. But, when I asked him where he heard that song, he simply said, 'Zero.'"

I was dumbstruck, blinking in surprise. _Six was humming one of the songs I sang to him?_ I didn't know what to say to that. An image of Six swam through my mind, and it dawned upon me, I haven't seen the stripped stitchpunk in years! What would I say to him?

As I pondered about Six, I hardly noticed as we entered the Cathedral and walked into Five's workshop. Five helped me to sit down before working on sewing Nine up. He glanced over at me, then back to Nine's shoulder, "What are you thinking about?"

I looked up at him, then at the floor as I whispered, "Six. I haven't seen him in so long. Do you think he'll forgive me for leaving him with One?"

He finished up the knot he was tying in Nine's shoulder, "I don't know, I don't spend a whole lot of time with Six. He's kinda hard to figure out," He removed the needle and went to get the scissors. Neither of us noticed when Nine woke up. He was so quiet. Then, when Five went to cut the string on his shoulder, he gasped out in fear. I jumped as he suddenly grabbed the tips of the scissors, throwing them towards me to have them stick in the ground. "It's alright," Five told him as he fell the the ground, Five knelt by him and placed his hands on his shoulders, "I'm not going to hurt you. You're safe now."

Five helped him back up as Nine placed his hand to his head, "Where am I?"

"With friends," I replied. His head snapped up to look at me.

"Zero! Are you alright? I know your leg seized up, I'm sorry I couldn't help."

"It's alright Nine. You've helped more than you know," He looked at me oddly, but let it drop.

Five managed to get the scissors out of the floor as he cut the spare thread on Nine's shoulder, "You know, I never expected to see another one. That should hold," He remarked as he hung up the scissors on the wall, "Now, let's look at you, Zero."

Nine inspected his shoulder while Five took a look at my leg, "It's just this joint here," I said, pointing it out.

"One of the screws is on too tight," he went over to his bag, "and it looks like it rusted a bit. What were you doing for the past few years?"

"Sitting."

"That's it?"

"Well," I started as I pointed to Nine, "I was waiting for this one to wake up too." Five laughed as he fixed my joint. When he finished, I moved it, inquisitively. "Good as new!"

He smiled as he looked over at Nine. He was still staring at the stitch-work on his shoulder. "If Two were here, he could've done a better job. I wonder where he's gone to?" He pondered his last thought silently while Nine and I gasped.

"We were just with him!" How could I be so stupid! Here I was talking with Five, when Two was still in danger!

"Two?" Five looked up in surprise, walking up to Nine, "Where? Out there? What was he-?"

"Keeping secrets from me, I see?" A very familiar voice interrupted Five. I new precisely who it was before I even turned to look. One was holding up the curtain door to the workshop. He had a red cape with a matching jewel clasp around him, and a tall hat with what looked like a penny tied to it. In his right hand, he held a staff that curled at the top with a bell hanging from the end. His optics were small slits, glaring at us all.

He walked forward as Five started to stutter an excuse, "I-I was coming to tell you, I-" he was cut off as One pushed past him, heading straight for Nine!

"What's this?" he asked as he pulled Nine around with his cane. Nine gasped in surprise.

"I-I found them. In the Emptiness."

At his words, One's optics widened, momentarily, and he whirled on the one-eyed engineer, "What were you doing out there? You'll lead the beast straight back to us!" He wrapped the hook of his cane around Five's neck, "How many times have I told you?"

"The beast, that's what took Two!" Nine suddenly exclaimed. Five gasped, looking at him from around One, desperate to get answers about his beloved mentor, "If we hurry, we could still save him!"

One turned to the newcomer, "If the beast took him, that's the end of it," he waved his hand as if to signify the word's importance. I couldn't let this go on any longer.

"But he was still alive!" I stood up as One jumped at my voice, he must not have noticed I was there. He quickly recovered and shook his head.

"No! We have rules!" he slammed his cane on the ground, the bell jingling merrily. All of us started at the sudden action One had taken. Then, we heard footsteps.

I turned as the sound of metal running against wood sounded, the curtain was parted by a large knife, and in stepped a figure I knew all too well, "Hi, Eight."

He blinked in surprise at my hello (had he never heard anyone say hi to him?), and nodded back at me. He wasn't my favorite stitchpunk in the world, but I was still on good terms with everyone. Five hid behind Nine, and Nine grabbed his own hand in nervousness.

One spoke to Eight while still looking at us, "Our new guests' seem confused." He then motioned for us to follow as he turned and walked away, "Perhaps I can help you achieve some clarity." Eight placed the blade of his knife into his other hand, as he motioned with his head for us to follow. Five went first, looking away from Eight as he passed, then myself, who greeted Eight with a small smile that he returned, with Nine bringing up the rear. I heard Eight grunt at Nine in an effort to scare him. It worked as I heard Nine gasp behind me and I shook my head. Eight loved to intimidate others and point out how much stronger he was than us.

I looked up as we entered the main hall, a small plane had crashed into the roof, and the propeller on the left wing spun lazily. Five placed a hand on my shoulder and I turned to him, "It didn't kill him?"

Before I could answer, Eight had nudged Five in the back with the handle of his knife and growled at him, "Quiet," Nine glared back towards the giant, but we continued on in silence.

We then came to a bucket attached to a pulley system. One pulled himself in, followed by five and me, but when Nine tried to get in, he was pushed from behind and collapsed against me. I was barely able to catch him as Five snapped at Eight. Eight merely laughed and shoved Nine out of the way. "Hold on tight," Five said.

_To what?_ I thought as we jerked up, Nine, and I falling back against the side of the bucket while Eight heaved us up. Eight grunted in excursion as we rose, higher, and higher up in the Cathedral. I looked around in awe at the stained glass windows. How most of them had managed to survive the war, I have no clue.

I looked around at those in the bucket with me, Nine was staring up at how high the building went, he had only just awoken that morning, nothing he had seen, so far, could compare to this. One was staring at Nine, leaning against his staff with a sinister looking smile on his face. I'm not sure what he was thinking, but I'm pretty sure it didn't bode well for my young friend. When I looked over at Five, he was staring at his feet. My face softened at the sight. He looked broken. What had happened to him over the years? I remember him being timid, but not like this! I put a hand on his shoulder, he looked up at me in surprise. Had no one shown him any affection in so long? I smiled, and he smiled back. No, I realized, Two would have shown some affection to poor Five. Two was like that.

We clanged to a stop, Five looked back at his feet, his smile gone. One threw open the door and walked out. Five followed, meekly, behind him. Next was me and Nine, walking, side by side, with Eight bringing up the rear. We were in the clock tower, a beautiful stained-glass angel took up most of one wall, while the clock itself was on the other. One stopped in front of the clock, placed a hand on Nine's shoulder, and told him about the war.

A clattering captured my attention. Turning my head, I noticed a dark corner of the room that escaped my attention when we first came in. Although I was curious, it would be rude to walk away from the others. One grabbed a match as he finished his story. Lighting it in the dying embers, I turned back to what he was saying, "I led us here, to sanctuary, and here, we waited for the war to end," He started walking again, placing an arm around Nine, "The only thing that remains now," he lights up a picture, depicting the likeness of the machine that took Two, "is the Beast! So, we stay hidden, and we wait for it, too, to sleep," The match, steadily, went out. Although, Nine would not be deterred.

"But, where did it come from? Why is it hunting us?"

"Questions like that, are pointless. We need to protect ourselves. Keep ourselves out of danger, too many of us, have already been lost."

Grim realization overcame me as he crossed off the number two on a calendar with the numbers three, four and seven already crossed out. "What? Not Three. Four? Seven? They can't be-" I looked to Five, but he simply stared at the floor, confirming my fear. I looked at Eight, begging him silently to disagree. His eyes softened when they met mine, but he said nothing.

Nine and One began arguing, but I wasn't paying attention. My mind was still on Seven and the twins. _Those two little goofballs.. I wouldn't hear their clicking ever again. I'll never be able to really get to know Seven either._ I didn't notice that I had walked away from the others, and across the clock tower, now One's "throne room." I did notice, however, that someone started humming. I blinked in surprise. _I know this song! Dies Irae!_ I looked around, trying to find whoever was humming the song that I only sang for Six. My eyes fell upon the dark corner, it seemed to be coming from there. I walked closer, yes it was definitely coming from there! The humming stopped, whoever it was had stood up and started walking. As I rounded the corner, I smiled and tackle/hugged the one person I'd been dying to see, "SIX!"

Six jumped in surprise, spinning around as if he was being attacked, clutching at the key around his neck, "Z-Zero? You're here? Nine is awake now?"

I nodded at him, he hasn't changed at all, "Of course Six, Nine's here too," He smiled at me, and gave me a quick hug before sitting back down and pulling out another sheet of paper. I sat down next to him, pulling an open jar of ink towards me. He looked up at me, he wanted the ink but was wondering what I'd do with it, "Remember when I first watched you draw, Six?" He nodded vigorously, smiling widely. I laughed and looked into the jar, "I ended up dipping my own fingers in the ink, I wanted to draw like you."

Six nodded again, "Your fingers are not like mine though," He held up his own hands, looking at them in amazement, as I pushed the ink towards him.

"No," I replied, "not like yours," I hugged him close, my head resting on his shoulder, "I've missed you so much."

Six's arms wrapped around me as he whispered to me, "Missed you too," He leaned back to look at me, "Zero, are you gonna help Nine? Help Nine rescue Two?"

I looked at him in surprise before I remembered how Six always seems to know more than he lets on. I nodded to him, "Yes, I plan on helping Nine."

He stood up suddenly and pushed me towards the bucket elevator, "Go, now! They're leaving soon!" I gave him one last hug before rushing off, I've learned early on to listen when Six tells you to do something. No way was he leaving me behind.


	5. Chapter 5

**Oh my goodness! Nine pages! I couldn't post yesterday because it took so darn long to write this one! I just wanna say, you love me? Really? I love you guys cause you make me feel special! SQUEE! The song I chose is called, "Eyes on Me," by Faye Wong. Author's note is gonna be short today.**

**Skullwitch- It's fine, can't be expected to remember the whole movie. I've been watching it over and over to get this story right. And I wanna apologize for the last comment I wrote to you cause I didn't mean for it to sound mean but, after reading it again, it kinda sounded mean.**

**5x10 Love- I feel the same way! I actually make sounds like that while writing the story cause I'm such a freakin' fangirl!**

Five and Nine were just leaving as I jumped out of the bucket, "Hold up you two!" I decided to have a little fun with them. They turned around in surprise as I skidded to a halt in front of them, a scowl on my face, "Just where do you think you're going?"

Nine and Five looked at each other before Five answered, "We're going to rescue Two.."

"Does One know about this?"

Nine frowned at me, "You wouldn't dare tell him, would you?"

"Well, I don't know," A grin suddenly appearing on my face, "Did you plan on leaving without me?"

Both stitchpunks' optics widened in surprise before Five burst out, "But, are you sure? It's going to be dangerous."

I laugh and walk forward, "Five, I may be older than you guys, but I'm not fragile! Two would've wanted to come if he were here, and the tables were turned!" Five smiled at the comment and rubbed the back of his head, looking over at Nine, who nodded.

"Alright, Zero. Let's get going," I beamed at them both as we walked outside.

"Say, Zero?"

I looked back at Five, walking backwards, "What is it Five?" Five, seeing me gazing at him, looked down. I suppressed a sigh, he was so timid now.

"I was thinking, how about a song?" Nine looked at me, as I looked at Five in surprise. Then I thought, Why not? Nine hasn't even heard me sing yet.

"Alright," I told him, he smiled like a kid in a candy shop as I laughed, "Let me think of one," I turned back around, my eyes on the ground as my hand went to my chin while I thought of all the songs I knew. We walked in silence for a while, Nine glancing at Five every once and a while and Five would signal him to wait. I finally chose one, I always loved this song, ever since I first heard it, as it kind of reminded me of Six. I took a breath, Nine and Five looked up expectantly as I started to sing.

"Whenever sang my songs  
On the stage, on my own  
Whenever said my words  
Wishing they would be heard  
I saw you smiling at me  
Was it real or just my fantasy  
You'd always be there in the corner  
Of this tiny little bar

"My last night here for you  
Same old songs, just once more  
My last night here with you?  
Maybe yes, maybe no  
I kind of liked it your way  
How you shyly placed your eyes on me

"Oh, did you ever know?  
That I had mine on you

"Darling, so there you are  
With that look on your face  
As if you're never hurt  
As if you're never down  
Shall I be the one for you  
Who pinches you softly but sure  
If frown is shown then  
I will know that you are no dreamer

"So let me come to you  
Close as I wanted to be  
Close enough for me  
To feel your heart beating fast  
And stay there as I whisper

"How I loved your peaceful eyes on me  
did you ever know  
That I had mine on you

"Darling, so share with me  
Your love if you have enough  
Your tears if your're holding back  
Or pain if that's what it is  
How can I let you know  
I'm more than the dress and the voice  
Just reach me out then  
You will know that you're not dreaming

"Darling, so there you are  
With that look on your face  
As if you're never hurt  
As if you're never down  
Shall I be the one for you  
Who pinches you softly but sure  
If frown is shown then  
I will know that you are no dreamer."

I finished the song, holding the last note for a few seconds before falling silent.

"Wow, Zero, that was amazing," Nine had come up to my right side while Five was on my left.

"Yeah, why'd you pick that song?"

I looked at the two before looking at the ground, "Oh, well, no reason.. really.." I trailed off. The two looked at each other, Five raising an eyebrow while a wicked grin began to grow on Nine's face.

"It wouldn't be because of anyone special, would it? Zero?" A grin grew on Five's face when he realized where Nine was going.

I decided to change the subject, "So, Five, do you miss your other eye? It must be kinda hard working on things."

They both shook their heads as I jumped down off a large rock. We were nearing where Two was taken now. "Actually, I don't mind only having one eye," Five stated as he jumped down after me, Nine close behind, "It's easier for me, allows me to concentrate on just one thing at a time, you know?"

"I suppose," Nine said, though he didn't look like he was gonna give up on finding out about my choice in song.

The roller skate was just in front of us now, it must have tipped over when Two was taken, the one wheel still spinning as Five walked up to it, stopping the wheel with his hand. He looked around before his eye settled on something up the hill, and he rushed off to get it. Nine had grabbed Two's staff, while I followed five.

I reached him just as he picked up Two's hat. The spoon that was used to put out the candle, breaking off and falling to the ground. He rose his hand to catch it, before having it settle, softly, on where it used to be. I placed a hand on his shoulder as Nine came up behind me, his face sorrowful, "Why was he out here alone?"

I looked back at Nine, he looked down, in thought, something seemed to occur to him that hadn't made itself apparent to me, "I don't know, Five."

He sighed, placing the hat on his pack before turning to me, "Thanks, Zero."

I gave him a hug, "We'll be fine. Don't worry." I pulled away and pointed towards the factory, "Let's keep moving."

Five nodded and pulled out his map, "There's a tunnel, up ahead that we can go through. We just need to find it."

Then let's get going," Nine replied as he walked on. Five and I followed, Five looking at the map to see where the tunnel might be while I looked at our surroundings.

We were surrounded by barbed wire, strings that were tied to traps layed out for anyone to set off, and rocks. Lots of rocks. A wind storm was blowing behind us. Nine had stopped and looked back at Five, "Where's the tunnel?" We had needed to shout in order for any of us to hear one another, but I began to fear that someone, or something, else might hear as well.

"I don't know!" Five gave a yell of shock as the wind ripped the map out of his hands. I looked ahead at it flying away and raced after it.

"I'll get it!" I ran past Nine as he yelled for me to wait but I didn't pay attention to him, my eyes were on the paper, flying in front of me. It got caught on a sliver of wood, and I grinned as I reached for it. I didn't notice the hole until it was under me. I fell, barely catching the edge before falling through completely. I yelled in surprise, looking down, there were sharp spikes of wood that, had I fallen through, would've ripped me to shreds.

Five and Nine caught up and managed to pull me to safety. Unfortunately, the map was blown away before we could grab it. Five turned to Nine, shouting to be heard in the ever increasing wind, "We should go back!"

As we turned around, we needed to shield our eyes, we could hardly see a foot behind us, "We can't!" Nine yelled back before spotting something behind Five. I turned to look at what he had just pointed out to Five, there was the tunnel!

We ran over to the entrance, where we stopped to look in. Five noticed the footprints of the Beast and pointed them out to us, but I wasn't paying attention. I was focused on the tunnel. I might not have mentioned this before but, I am afraid of the dark. More like completely terrified of the dark. Five voiced what I had been thinking, "It's too dark."

Nine stood up, looking towards a car, "We can use that," Piquing my interest, I wondered over to see what they were doing. Five had grabbed a light bulb out from the car's headlight, and handed it to Nine while he looked around in his pack. Nine rubbed his arm across it to wipe off some of the dirt that had accumulated onto it. Five had found what he'd been looking for, it turned out to be a small battery. As Nine placed the bulb on it, Five touched the side, connecting the current of electricity to make it light up.

"Nicely done boys, but do you plan on carrying it like that the whole way?" They both thought for a moment. It would be a bit of a hassle to carry the light and make sure it was still connected.

Nine suddenly had an idea, shoving the light bulb to Five he remarked, "Wait!" Before grabbing Two's staff and removing one of the scalpel blades on it. Placing the blade in his mouth, he grabbed Two's hat and, twisting the metal that would go under his chin, he placed it on the staff. Five gave him the battery, which Nine placed inside the hat, and Five placed the bulb in after it, causing it to light up.

Five gave a laugh in wonder as he placed both hand on the brim of the once-hat-now-turned-light-staff, "Two would be impressed!" As soon as the words left his mouth, however, the smile on his face disappeared, his hands falling to his side.

I placed an arm around his shoulder as Nine handed him the blade from the staff, "We'll find him," Nine said as he walked into the tunnel, holding the staff high to illuminate the darkness.

Five and I followed as he remarked to Nine, "You know? You're just like him. You forget to remember to be scared."

I laughed, "Five, who has time to be scared when there's so much to see and remember?"

Five laughed back and nudged my arm, "Yeah, you probably have too much rattling around up there to remember about something as small as fear."

I shook my head, "As hard as it is to believe, I get scared, too, Five."

Nine turned back to us, "Oh really? Well, what are you most afraid of, Zero?"

"Aww, you guys'll laugh if I tell you."

"No we won't! Come on tell us!"

I looked at the two, "Promise you won't laugh?" They nodded and I sighed. We walked on for a few seconds before I replied, "I'm afraid of the dark."

"What? Really?" Nine asked, Five looked at me, shocked as I nodded. Five looked at Nine, and Nine looked at Five, that same sly smile growing on both of their faces. "Oh, no!" Nine mocked distress, "The light bulb is going out!"

"Oh dear!" The same fake distress in Five's voice, "And we're so far in the tunnel! We may never get out!"

If my face could blanch, it would as a look of panic flashed across it, "Not funny guys."

"Oh, lighten up, Zero. We wouldn't do that to you." Nine placed an arm around me as I pouted, turning away from him.

"Yeah," Five walked in front of me, "Besides, the exit's right there. We can see the light easily."

He was right, the exit was easily a few yards ahead. We wouldn't be in complete darkness. I smiled at them, "Alright, I forgive you guys." They both hugged me with one arm as we walked out of the tunnel. It brought us right to the factory. Two is in there.

I leaped up the steps easily, Nine and Five had a bit more difficulty. They couldn't jump as high as I could after all.

Once Five and Nine had joined me, we looked up at the imposing structure before us. It was intimidating to say the least. Five, being the most timid of us, asked if he could wait there. Nine looked over and frowned at him, while I raised my eyebrow.

Nine walked on ahead as I turned to Five, "C'mon, Five, if you made it this far, surely you can continue on?" Five looked like he might disagree, but before he could, I pulled him with me after Nine. As we walked through the factory, I saw that hundreds of those giant machines hung from the ceiling. They were all deactivated, but they were still intimidating. I began to wonder what our Chancellor was thinking when he decided these things could be used for peace.

As we passed by row after row of those bombs that contained the gas used to kill all life, Five voiced the question we all had been thinking, "Why would it bring him here?" A small groaning drew our attention to a shaft that slid downwards, covered in oil. Five grabbed a crossbow he had in his pack as we neared it. The tell-tale sound of the Beast growling could be heard from below. We all looked at each other. If the Beast was there, then so would Two! Nine turned off the light and we slid down the shaft.

As we hit the bottom, we landed in a puddle of oil, our feet making a soft splash. We hopped across some rocks to avoid falling in a larger puddle, and we looked around at where we were. We were in a giant room, what it's purpose might have been, I might never know, but now, it was filled with debris, and large immobile machine stuck up here and there. Nine and Five gasped, drawing my attention to a large, golden birdcage. Inside was Two! We rushed up the mountain of rubble to see if he was alright. _He has to be OK! They wouldn't lock up someone if he was dead!_

Although I can run faster than them, I found myself reaching Two after Five. He shook his mentor's shoulder, "Two? T-Two?" Two's head slumped against his shoulder as Five gasped out in sadness, his head falling. Nine and I looked down as well.

I looked up as I heard a small sigh, Two had turned around and placed his hand on Five's, "I knew you would come!" Nine and I looked at each other in pure joy. Two was only asleep! Two was OK!

Five nearly shouted in joy, "I thought-" He was cut off as Two put a finger to his mouth, shushing him, then pointed. The Beast was, apparently, only a few feet away, at the other side of the mountain of rubble. Nine went to check real quick while I looked at the cage door.

Nine came back, "It's busy, let's get Two out!" Five and I nodded as Nine placed the staff between the bars, trying to pry the door open. Five and I were pulling on the door, when a light shone on us. We quickly looked back to see the Beast, about to pounce! It wasn't busy anymore!

As it pounced, we ran around the cage, it ran to the other side and lunged, Nine barely dodged it's clawed hand and it plunged it's claws into the cage. Two managed to dodge, and the claw withdrew. Frustrated, the Beast tossed the cage away, and Two screamed as he went flying. The Beast slashed, sending us flying. Five and I landed near Two, but Nine was left to fight off the Beast on his own. Hopefully he'd be alright. Five and I went over to the cage, Five turned it over, and I helped up Two, just as Nine was thrown right next to us.

We looked around, the Beast was nowhere in sight. Five loaded his crossbow as a roar was heard behind us. Whirling around, the Beast had snuck up on us somehow! Five fired, but it had no effect on the Beast's hard skull. Five gasped in fear as it came closer. We backed up only to trip and fall to the ground. This is it! The Beast would kill us for sure! We'd end up just like Seven, Three, and Four! I hugged Five close as the Beast roared, it was over.

A whirring caught all of our attentions, including the Beast. A figure was whirling what looked like a boleadora in the air, and threw it at the Beast, wrapping around it's muzzle. We all looked at the mysterious figure as it jumped at the Beast, weapon drawn. It landed on the Beast's back, the Beast whipping around, bucking like a bull in those rodeos I saw on TV.

The Beast had managed to latch onto something around the figure's arm, whipping it at our heads. We barely managed to dodge. The figure was thrown up, and, twisting around, it brought down it's weapon, slashing off the Beasts head. As the Beast's body fell to the ground, the figure jumped down, and slowly made its way to us. It stopped a few steps away and we flinched as it dug the weapon, a spear, into the earth. It removed its bird skull helmet to reveal..

"Seven?" Five yelled out, leaping to his feet.

"I don't believe it!" Two and I jumped up as well, Two giving her a hug. After a moments hesitation, she returned the gesture.

Five went up to her, "You've come back!"

"I never left," She reached behind her and pulled out the map we previously lost, handing it to him, "You finally decided to join the fight."

Nine walked up to her, shyly and handed her the thing thrown at us, it looked like the shield used by ancient Greece, or Sparta, "You dropped this."

She accepted it gracefully, placing it back on her arm, "Where have you been hiding?"

"He only just woke up," I grinned at Nine. I knew that look he gave to Seven. It was the same look on my face when I was near Six.

She had turned to me, "Really? And where were you hiding, Zero? We could have used your help over the years."

I scoffed and waved a hand at her, "Please, from the way you handled the Beast? I would've just got in the way!" We shared a laugh as we heard Two mutter.

"Rusty, hacked together, shoddy piece of s- ow!" He groaned in pain, hopping on one foot while he held the other, Five coming up behind them as they both shared a laugh. Two had kicked at the Beast, only succeed in hurting his foot. Seven had gone to retrieve her boleadora from what remained of it's head. I walked with her.

"I'm so glad your alright. One said that you had died! What happened?" She looked up at me.

"I didn't die, he just assumed I did because I left. He wanted to keep us all locked up, but I couldn't just sit around, knowing that all these machines were out here, running around." She stood up, and I gave her a hug.

"I'm so glad! I couldn't bear it if anything happened to any of you!" I pulled away, holding her at arms length, "The twins?"

She placed a hand on my arm, "They're fine." We whipped around as Two shouted "wait." Nine had found the talisman and placed it into a machine, Two tried to pull it out as it let off a sinister green glow.

"What are you doing? We don't know what it is-" It let off a great shine of light, pushing Two back into Nine's arms. Two stood up and pushed Nine away just as, to everyone's horror, the light shown into Two's mouth and eyes. His arms flailing as if in pain. The green light pulled back into the talisman as Two's body fell to the ground. Lifeless. A horrified Nine gasped at the sight, too frightened to move.

Five ran forward leaning over the inventor's body, sobbing, "Two!" We were all panting in fear of what had just happened. The beast was gone! Why did Two have to-

A red glow fell over us, the machine was operational! A loud groaning could be heard above us as gears that remained immobile for so long began to move. We stood up, Five grabbing onto me in fear. We ran away. Dodging machinery unburying itself from years of accumulated dirt and rubble, we ran onto a conveyer belt.

As we ran, the machine started to rise. Higher and higher it rose. I didn't notice that the conveyer belt ended until I felt Seven's arm stop me from running off the edge. I looked over at the machine, It ripped off the flag covering it with it's monstrous arms. One of them had a freakin' power saw! Five was frantically loading his crossbow while Seven and I looked for a way to cross the gap. I could jump it but the others wouldn't be able to. Seven grabbed Five's crossbow (still on his arm), and pointed it up, firing. It latched on a lever and she pulled Nine and Five to her, swinging across. Five and Nine landed with a thud, but Seven fell, barely managing to grab a protruding branch of broken metal.

Five stood up and motioned for me to jump, he already knew I'd be able to make it. I jumped over the gap to meet them, and Five caught me, just as the conveyer belt started to move. Five and I fell, him on top of me, before we managed to pull ourselves up. Five, Nine and I ran, dodging pieces of finished machinery, moving to be assembled into those tall machines of death and destruction. Nine pushed us off the conveyer belt before we could be crushed under another machine part. Falling onto a red cloth, Nine's staff was knocked away from him.

Nine got up and grabbed his staff, it lit up, attracting the attention of the machine. Five and I ran over to him, Five pulling him up, "Quick! Get up! Run!" He obeyed, running to what we hoped to be safety, between two cracked stone pillars. The machine, infuriated, followed, sending rubble flying in every direction. A cloud of dust obscuring everything in sight. We took the opportunity to hide beneath a stray gear, huddling together, fearing being found by the machine. I could hear it searching, the gears clacking as it moved it's limbs, moving rocks and other debris out of its way, the crackle of electricity as it got closer. I buried my face into Five's chest as the ends of one hand shown around the gear, about to lift it up and find us, like cornered mice!

A whir and clang sounded, then repeated, the hand stopped, and it moved away. Something drew the machine's attention away from us. Seven landed before us, "What are you waiting for?" We needed no further prompting. I heard a crash as we ran for a large pipe, the claw reached for us, but stopped short just before getting Five. I ran on, getting closer to Seven. A sudden shake caused me to lose my balance, I looked behind me, the machine had torn apart the pipe to get closer, Five and Nine nearly fell back out! I ran to them, helped them back up and started running again.

We ran up and out of the pipe, it lead us out of the factory. We hid behind an overturned mining cart and looked behind us. We were safe. For the moment. Five sat against the wall, hyperventilating, his knees to his chest, one arm hugging his legs while the other was on his head, "I knew we shouldn't have come! Why? Why would you do that?" He grabbed Nine's shoulders and shook them, he sounded close to tears.

"I didn't know, I'm sorry!" Nine looked at him, Five's breathing began to slow as what Nine said began to sink in, "I'm sorry." Five's hands fell to his side as he sighed and turned away.

Seven began to chastise him as well, "What were you thinking?" Nine stared at her, Five was back to huddling against the wall. I decided to step in.

"It doesn't matter why he did it, or what he was thinking! All that matters is what we do next," We all exchanged glances before we heard a groaning. Looking back in confusion, we saw the factory come to life, black smoke erupting from the smokestack as the pistons on the side began to move.

Five broke our spellbound stares with the question, "What is it going to do?" He turned to me, hoping I'd know more about it. I could only shake my head in confusion. Something about the machine seemed familiar, but it was like my mind was submerged in water, slow and sluggish. I couldn't think straight.

"I know where we can find answers," Seven remarked as she pulled down her helmet and took off. We followed, running away from the place marking our failed rescue of the late Two.


	6. Chapter 6

**Ahh, I finally got this done! I was working on Katie earlier, so this ended up being later than I wanted it to be. Also, has anyone else noticed that the library is only a short distance from the Cathedral? Like, only a block or two? In this chapter, there will be a bit of swearing. Nothing too serious, no f-bombs or anything, but still, I felt I should warn you. Also, this is the chapter where Zero's mind will begin to unravel. Now, I'll go to bed after posting this, but first, I'll reply to your comments!**

**5x10 Love- Yeah, I decided to put that in there just because I, too, am afraid of the dark. And my boyfriend still makes fun of me for it. And I share your pain. I hate seeing when someone dies, and I made Zero the same way!**

**Skullwitch- Yeah, he just doesn't have any sense of caution. Yet. But he will soon!**

I haven't been here in years! It's changed so much. I ran ahead of the others, through the iron gates of the old library and into the courtyard. I stopped staring at a patch of dirt. There used to be such beautiful flowers growing here. The way they complimented the ivory statues was simply gorgeous.

Seven walked past me while Five stopped and placed a hand comfortingly onto my shoulder. I sighed and walked inside with him. Nine had lightened his light and was standing in front of a painting, depicting an English country side, "Is this what it was like?"

Five and I stopped behind him, Five gazing at the painting in wonder, while a sad smile crossed my face, "Oh, Nine. If only I could show you what it was really like, the painting simply doesn't do it justice."

He looked back at me in confusion, like he was about to ask more about the old world when Seven interrupted him, "Keep up!" and we continued on.

Seven brought us to an old storage room, filled with various objects. A large scrapbook in the center, with long strands of string in its pages, each leading to a different shelf. An open bottle of glue was tipped over, dripping onto the floor. Humans couldn't have done this. So who-?

I was interrupted from my musings by a soft clang to my right. I looked over at a jar containing a pickled snake. Two figures poked their heads out from behind it and Five gasped.

"They've been here? The whole time?" He ran up to them, and placed his hands on their heads, ruffling Four's hood as I ran up to them as well.

"Three, Four!" Upon seeing me, they beamed in joy, they must have thought I died long ago, for they each wrapped their arms around me in a great hug. I wrapped my arms around them as well just as Nine voiced his thoughts.

"Twins!" At the sound of his voice, Three and Four hid behind Five and I, Four latching onto Five's arm.

"They've been hiding here, lost in the past. Looking for answers," As Seven finished speaking, the twins ran up to Nine and immediately began to catalog his appearance. Seven smiled softly, covering her mouth to stop herself from laughing, while Five and I laughed loudly at their antics, "They're cataloging," She explained.

Three had grabbed his hand and was moving his fingers while Four opened his zipper, earning a yell in surprise from Nine. The two shrunk away before becoming fascinated with the light bulb on his staff. Nine brought it closer to Three, who grabbed it, running away with it while Four chased after. Seven spoke up, "We need your help," The two stopped quickly and looked over at us, Seven stepped closer, "We awakened something."

"No, I awakened something," Nine interrupted, looking down in guilt, "something terrible."

The two straightened up, blinking their eyes as each other so quickly, that I barely had time to register what was being said between them, I was able to capture, book, and Fabrication Machine, before they sped along, Four stuffing the light bulb back onto Nine's staff before joining his twin at the large scrapbook.

They began turning pages while Nine gasped in surprise, "That's it!" The page showed a newspaper picture of the very machine that had ended Two's life earlier. The twins grabbed the string that went with the picture and began pulling it in. I followed the string to a shelf where a white slip of paper was pulled out, marking where we would need to go.

Motioning for us to follow, they jumped onto a metal disk with two levers on it. Pulling one of them, we began to rise in a circular motion, following the dynamics of the room. Three stopped the tray by pushing back on the lever he was holding, and they both ran onto the shelf. We followed closely behind them as they showed us an old newspaper. It read, "Amazing New Invention: Glorious Leader Promises Progress Through Technology." Below the title shown a picture of the BRAIN, I remembered it through the two visits the Scientist took me on, right nest to it showed our creator and I gasped in surprise, that's why the machine was so familiar! I had seen it before! I looked closely at the text beneath the photo, "Julius Bergeron." Was that his name? The name of the person who created us?

Four began projecting the video I had seen on TV so long ago, again, I berated myself for being so stupid. _How did I not recognize it? I had seen the damn thing before! Why didn't I stop Nine? Two would still be alive. Two.._

The video suddenly turned to still shots of the war. I fell to my knees in horror. Was this what went on while I was in that room? While the others were trying to survive, I had sat in safety. Is this how they've suffered through the years? What else have I missed?

I barely noticed as Four stopped projecting, Three catching him as he slumped backwards. Nine was still staring at the wall in shock, placing a hand to his face, while Five and Seven looked at each other. What have we done?

"But, the thing that woke it," Nine began, turning to the others, "i-it was round," he turned to the twins, his hands acting out what he said, "and imprinted with strange shapes." Three and Four thought for a moment, their eyes flicking quickly as they reviewed everything that they had cataloged before shrugging, simultaneously. They didn't know. I finally stood up, though I was still in my own mental turmoil, and forced myself to focus on what they were saying. Nine, becoming frantic, grabbed a fountain pen, and began drawing on the wall, "The shaped corresponded. It fit perfectly, into the machine," The drawing started to look familiar, and Five noticed it too as he stepped forward his hand raised, "As if it were made for it."

"That's what Six always draws!"

Nine turned to look at him, "Six?"

Five nodded before continuing, "Two collected his drawings, he was always studying them," By this time, the twins had crept closer, wanting to get a closer look at Nine's drawing.

"I have to see them," He remarked to Five.

Seven couldn't remain silent at this, stepping forward, "What?" We all looked at her, "Go back to One? So he can lock us away while this nightmare awakens?" By this time, she was in Nine's face and he was forced to take a step back. She pulled her helmet over her face as she spat out, "Never," and jumped down off the shelf and out the door. We all went to the edge to watch her leave. Four was hiding behind Three and we all looked to Nine.

"I suppose we're going back then?" I asked him as his brows came together in thought. He looked at me, "At least to see the drawings," _And, perhaps, Six.._

Nine nodded, "Yes, I need to see them."

The twins pulled on my arm frantically, flashing their eyes at me. They didn't want me to go, they wanted me to stay with them. I hugged them close, "I'll be back before you know it guys. Don't worry," They buried their faces into my chest as they nodded, and I looked back at Five and Nine. They both had a smile on their faces at the touching scene before them. As the twins let go of me, they brought us back down, but before we left, Three grabbed my arm making me stop.

Turning to him I asked, "What is it, Three?" He flashed his optics at me as Four brought something behind his back, "A present?" Four gave me the item, it was an old watch! I took in gently, The glass was cracked, and the minute hand was missing, but, when I wound it up, it still ticked! I put the band over my head and wore the watch like a bandoleer.

Four started to tell me, _"Since you were made to remember, we figured we'd give you something related to time."_

I hugged the two before me, "Thank you guys so much! This is the best present I've ever gotten!" It was the only present I've ever gotten, but they didn't need to know that. The twins hugged me back before I joined Five and Nine. I turned to wave at them one more time before we left for the Cathedral.

**~~~~My first major time skip! WHEEEE!~~~~**

We entered the Cathedral, hoping that we wouldn't be noticed. Unfortunately, I would be unable to see Six, as we were heading back to the workshop. When we entered, Five kept the lights off, not wanting to alert anyone to our presence. Five went to a desk, rummaging through papers on it while mumbling, "Where is it? I know he put them somewhere.." He let out a triumphant "Aha!" As he looked under the desk, pulling out several sheets of paper. It was definitely Six's work. With some red markings written over top. We didn't notice a large figure behind us as Nine lit up his staff, until Eight suddenly grabbed us, lifting us up into the air. He laughed cruelly as he brought us to One, up in his thrown room.

_Cripes,_ I thought, _We were found out!_ Eight threw us in front of the self-proclaimed leader before settling on a pile of books, sharpening his knife. One demanded to know where we had been and Nine and Five related the story to him. Omitting the part about us meeting Seven and the twins. When they got to the part about the machine, One exploded, "You awakened WHAT? You FOOLS!" He said, standing up while Five cowered before him, Nine met his gaze determinedly, and I was looking around for Six. One continued as he walked down the steps, "I warned you!"

"He warned you," Eight put in, still sharpening his knife.

"Now you've put us in unimaginable peril!" Stoutly ignoring Eight, One glared at the three of us, "And, may I ask? Did you manage to save Two? Of course not! By following this witless folly, you've endangered everything we've worked for!"

"Why was Two sent out to begin with?" At Nine's words, both Five and I looked up at One, pondering the same thing.

"I sent him!" He replied, "To scout!"

"That doesn't make any sense, you don't send the oldest out to-" He stopped himself, closing his eyes and forcing himself to calm down, "Look, we need to figure out what's going on."

We all turned to the sound of and ink bottle falling over, even Eight paused and looked over, to see Six, holding a drawing of the talisman and walking towards us, "The Source! The Source!" He went up to Nine, holding the picture up to him before looking at him himself, "Go back, to the Source!"

Nine took the drawing turning to One holding out the drawing for him to see, "This is it. This is what awakened the machine!" One raised an eyebrow at him before Nine turned back to Six, "What do you know about this?" Six was about to answer him before One slammed his staff onto the ground loudly, cutting him off. Eight, surprised, stopped sharpening his knife with a loud shriek of metal against metal.

"Ah you can't be trusted, I won't allow you to endanger us any further," Eight threw the sharpening stone to the side while stabbing his knife into a book and walked towards us. Six shrank away as Eight drew closer and One continued to Eight, waving a hand at him, "Subjugate them!"

Eight looked at him in confusion, "Sub-what?"

One sighed in frustration, a hand going to his face, "Oh, you illiterate cretin, take their belongings!" Eight laughed as he realized what One meant, striding to us, snatching the picture away from Nine and hoisting me and Five into the air, trying to shake us out of our items, Five his pack, and me my watch. The thin chain dug into my soft cloth sharply, tearing a couple stitches under my arm. I squeaked in surprise and pain, Five shouting in objection, while Nine launched himself at Eight. Eight kicked him away, sending him flying nearly off the edge of the platform.

Nine strode forward, directing his words to One, "You're nothing but a coward!" One whirled around, Eight dropped Five and I to the floor, Five managed to keep his feet, but I fell on my back, grabbing my side in pain as Five and, surprisingly, Six came up to me.

"Zero?" Six's soft voice reached my ear as he placed an arm behind me, helping me sit up.

"I'm OK, Six, Just a small cut," Five lifted my arm.

"Nothing serious, I can fix it soon as we get some time," I nodded as a dark shadow flew across the stained glass window.

One and Eight were backing up in fear, "Sometimes, fear is the appropriate response."

A large, bat-like figure crashed through the clock, landing at the opposite wall, tipping over the small pot full of embers, setting the place on fire. It clacked at us, multitudes of blades making up it's beak, Nine and Five got to their feet (they'd been knocked over in the crash), while Six helped me up, clutching his key and making a small squeak in fear. The beast shrieked at us, making us all step back, to our left, a board fell over, revealing One! That damn coward! He was trying to escape while we held off this flying menace! He flinched in fear of being revealed, the bell on his staff is what gave him away though, directing the monster's attention to him.

Eight roared in challenge, running towards the machine, grabbing his knife on the way and swinging at it. The machine drew back a wing, and threw Eight over to One, who moved a painting to reveal a hidden passageway, "This way!" He ran through and Eight followed, leaving us behind.

We ran to the bucket, the machine sweeping at Nine's feet causing him to fall. Five stopped just outside the bucket and reached out to him, "Nine!"

"Go!" He shouted back to us as he jumped up, Five released the pulley, sending us falling. Nine grabbed onto the rope and began to slide down towards us and landing in the bucket. The machine, seeing its prey escaping, swiped its sharp claw, slicing through the rope causing the bucket to fall as Five shouted in fear. The bucket hit a beam, tossing out Nine onto a window sill, he shouted in surprise. Five, Six and I were ejected onto a beam below him, and Five yelled Nine's name, hoping he was alright.

Nine looked over the edge at us, "Keep going, I'll find a way down!" He turned away, to find a way down I presume.

Five got up and lead Six and me to a small ladder, carved into the wood, "Where'd this come from?" I asked.

Five looked at me smiling, before climbing down, "How do you think we got the pulley system set up?" I let Six go next as I heard a crashing sound from above, the machine must have gone through the stained glass window! Stupid things had no eyes for beauty. I climbed down after them. We climbed until we reached the roof of the lower part of the Cathedral, near where the plane had crashed into it.

Looking up, I saw Eight dangling from a splinter of wood. _How on earth did he end up there?_ The machine was flying to him, aiming a harpoon at the giant. Eight tried to hoist himself up, but his massive girth was too much for him. Something shined into the machine's eyes, and it fired, merely clipping Eight, causing him to let go with one arm. The harpoon dug into the wall, and Eight fell, grabbing the cable for a moment before losing his grip and landing right in front of us. We were mere inches away as he got up and ran. Why became apparent as I saw One and Nine falling, luckily, to be caught by Eight.

However, they were trapped against the wall! The machine between them and us. Eight raised his knife at it, determined to make a final stand. I latched onto Six, who was holding his key, but he let go and wrapped his left arm around me. The machine pulled its harpoon out of the wall and began to approach them. A shadow caused the machine to look up. Swiping, it threw the figure to the wall,where Nine, Eight and One parted to see a disgruntled Seven slam against the wall.

She said something to them, though I couldn't hear what, and ran towards the machine again. However, it was ready, and fired at her. The harpoon digging into her leg, slamming her, again, into the wall before reeling her in, like a fish on a hook. Nine leaped forward, wrapping an arm around her chest, while digging his staff into the ground. Eight shot forward and cut the cable, sending it flying and tangled around the propeller. The plane began to tip, Five, Six and I fell to the wing, Six and I becoming tangled in the wire.

I heard One yell as the machine climbed closer to them. Five, noticing the wires were still live, exclaimed, "Grab those wires!" Jolting Six and I out of our respective dazes. Five and Six grabbed the wire and slid down the coils, me following close behind, and connected the two. The propeller began to rotate faster, winding the cable still connected to the machine. It squawked in surprise before flying forward, latching onto One's cape.

The propeller stopped, the force building, Nine yelled to One, "Your cape! Let it go!"

I could barely make out One saying he couldn't when I yelled out at him, "One! You vain, son of a bitch! Let it go before you get killed!" Six and Five looked at me in surprise, shocked that I would use such language. It seemed to shock One as well, for he finally managed to unhook his cape, causing the machine to fall and the propeller to continue spinning. The machine hit, and was shattered. Five and Six were peering over the edge when it hit, Five shrunk back and Six smiled in relief that it was finally finished.

The others were climbing up, off the plane and down to the main floor. By the time we reached them, the sun had set, and the Cathedral was engulfed in flames. We were walking away, through the gates of the Library, when Six, who had lagged behind the others with me, began chasing a falling piece of paper, still smoldering slightly. He sighed softly as he skidded to a halt, holding out his hands to catch it. Though it fluttered away, he ran towards it again and, when it was at eye level, clapped his hands together, succeeding in catching it. I laughed at how happy he seemed, and he rushed over to show me. But, when he opened his hands, the paper had turned to ash, and fell to the ground. His face looked so sad, I gave him a hug.

"Come on, Six. Let's catch up with the others." He smiled as I led him onward, we were all headed to the library, and, hopefully, to safety.


	7. Chapter 7

**Hmm, I'm not too happy with this chapter... No matter how many times I went back to reread it, it always seemed rushed. What do you guys think? Too rushed? Especially between Six and Zero? I don't know.. Just because this is the last chapter with Six in it, I figured it'd be my only chance to add some more tender moments between the two... Whoops, don't wanna spoil it, anyway, onto the reviews!**

**5x10 Love- Yeah, that was always my favorite part of the movie! I had to put that little part between Six and Zero cause, when I first saw it, he seemed so sad when the ash crumpled in his hands. Also, I think One has a superiority complex or something, that's why he wanted to keep the cape and his stupid hat. Shows how "important" he is.**

**Skullwitch- yeah I was kinda iffy about putting that moment in the story. I was like, "Would it be too much? Would everyone think I was giving too big a role to my character in the movie? Or what?" But, after considering I was writing the movie through her perspective, I decided to leave it in.**

We entered the library, and I held tightly to Six. It was dark, I hated the dark. Six led me over to where Nine was helping Seven to sit down. Five had taken her spear since she needed help to walk, and placed it with Nine's staff, leaning against a few books. Five pulled off his pack, grabbed a needle out from inside, and tested the strength of the string. Nine had walked a few steps away after setting Seven down, and was looking up at the moon.

"There will be more, won't there?" He turned back to us to hear our answer, his face stricken with guilt. Five, and I looked at each other before looking at Nine, our faces, both, wearing the same look of pity on them. Seven nodded in response, depressing the youngest of us slightly.

Five turned to me, offering to fix up my arm, but I waved him off, "Fix Seven up first. Her wound is worst than mine," Seven looked like she might argue, but I cut her off, "Seven, you can hardly walk. There'll be plenty of string to patch me up, after you."

The two nodded as Five began to work on Seven's leg. I sighed and wound my watch (it had stopped ticking), if the machines didn't kill us, the horrible depression might. It wasn't good for everyone to withstand these constant attacks. I heard One scoff, saying something about it not being safe here and ordering Eight to guard the area. Six, by this time, had begun to draw again. I still stuck close to him, mostly for my own benefit, and Eight walked right over his drawing, laughing cruelly. I frowned at his retreating figure before placing a hand on Six's shoulder, luckily, it wasn't too badly damaged. Five had finished up Seven's leg by then, and, while she tested out her newly repaired leg, he came over to me.

"OK, Zero, now can I fix you up?" I smiled at him, at least he can still joke around.

"Of course, Five," I lifted my left arm as he began sewing my cloth skin together. It was slightly painful, I hadn't ever needed to be sewn together before. There was no need as I stayed in that room for the longest time, doing nothing I might add. Six leaned against my leg while he continued to draw. Probably to comfort me. How is it he is able to sense everything that is going on around him?

Five tied a knot together and snipped off the excess string. "All finished. Good as new, huh?"

I smiled at him, placing my right hand on the new stitching, "Yeah, good as new, thanks, Five."

Five, who was about to reply with a "you're welcome," was interrupted by Three and Four running into the room. Four, being excited to show something to Nine, started to project something while his brother placed a hand over his eyes, to prevent it shining into Nine's eyes, and directing him towards a wall. On it, was the picture that Nine had drawn earlier of the talisman. _They found something then._ Six gasped, looking from the projection to his, now complete, drawing. _When'd he finish that?_ Grabbing it, he followed Nine and the twins into the other room, leaving Seven, Five, and me to follow, bemused at the sight.

Upon entering the room, the twins had pulled out a book, in it was a picture of an old man, holding a sign to his face, I gasped. _Just like the one back in the Scientist's house!_ Across from the man, was a small doll. Above them read the words, "Transmutata Vitae." With a small paragraph below that. I didn't know much about the language, but I knew "vitae" to mean, "life," while "transmutata," was fairly similar to the word, "transmute," or "transfer." But, that hardly makes sense. I can't seem to wrap the idea around my brain. _Transferring life? How is that even possible?_

Six, however, was focused on the picture on the opposite page. It was an exact replica of the talisman! He walked up, and placed his own drawing over-top of it.

Nine, noticing what Six was doing, asked, "What? What is it?"

"The Source," Six turned to nod at Nine, as if it all made complete sense. Which, it probably did. To him anyway. But I was just as lost as Nine.

Nine stepped closer to Six, causing the striped stitchpunk to hold his drawing in front of him, "The thing that woke the machine!"

"Go back. Uh, go back-"

"Back to where?"

Six looked down in confusion, before his face lit up in recognition, I stepped behind him, placing a hand on his shoulder so he would continue before he was interrupted, "Dark science!" I looked over in irritation at One, standing in the doorway, "What good does this useless rubbish do us?" He continued his rant as he walked closer to us, "Forget it!"

Nine stepped towards him while Six and I backed away, "You know something," One looked at him, neither denying, nor confirming it, "What do you know?"

One walked past him toward the book gesturing at the room in general, "I know enough to let their ancient evils to molder. Look what they've left us with," He turned to Nine and pointed to the ground in decisiveness, "Leave it be, I say! But you! Always asking questions! So many pointless questions! Probing! Pushing! Like Two! He always had to know! Too much!" At these word, he tore out a piece of the book, holding the crumpled paper in front of him.

Nine stepped towards One, "I was right! You did send him out to die!"

"He was old! He was weak!" Five and I gasped in horror, Six burying his head in my shoulder. _One was supposed to protect us! He's not allowed to do that!_ I could see Seven tense in anger, which boiled over at his next words, "Sometimes one must be sacrificed for the good many."

"You COWARD!" She leaped forward, her spear pressed to One's neck. The twins, who had covered their mouths at One's words, hid behind Five as Seven jumped forward. I stepped forward as Nine yelled Seven's name. Placing my hands on the blade, gently moving it away from One before I turned to him.

"You know, One, if Two was old, then what does that make you and me?" One didn't know what to say to that, and I continued, "Even the loss of one life, is one too many." Seven ran off, clearly upset.

One turned back to Nine, "Your path leaves us to catastrophe," before he, too, walked off into the library. Nine looked over at the others, settling on Six's drawing.

"We have to go back."

"Back? Where?" Five asked him.

"To the first room," He replied, looking down before turning away, "Where I woke."

Nine walked over to the other side of the room, where he and Five continued to talk about how they would get back to the Scientist's house I hugged the twins close to me as they silently sobbed concerning the news about Two. Nobody here, other than Nine, could believe that One could be so cold. I patted their heads as I sang a soft song to soothe them.

Some say love, it is a river  
That drowns the tender reed.  
Some say love, it is a razor  
That leaves your soul to bleed.  
Some say love, it is a hunger,  
An endless aching need.  
I say love, it is a flower,  
And you its only seed.

The twins stopped sobbing, still leaning against me, to listen to my song. I rocked them back and forth as Five and Nine stopped talking to listen as well. Six leaning against my shoulder, a dazed look on his face.

It's the heart afraid of breaking  
That never learns to dance.  
It's the dream afraid of waking  
That never takes the chance.  
It's the one who won't be taken,  
Who cannot seem to give,  
And the soul afraid of dyin'  
That never learns to live.

When the night has been too lonely  
And the road has been too long,  
And you think that love is only  
For the lucky and the strong,  
Just remember in the winter  
Far beneath the bitter snows  
Lies the seed that with the sun's love  
In the spring becomes the rose.

The twins had calmed down enough that they gave me another hug, then looking at Six's drawing to catalog it. Six looked over at me, a small smile on his face. We all looked up in shock, however, when we heard One yell.

Nine and Five ran out, the twins watching them from the entrance as Nine yelled out, "Find him!"

I started to run out too, but Six grabbed my hand, stopping me, "No! Don't go! Safe here!"

I patted his hand, "Six, I need to go and help. At least, I need to know what happens," He seemed torn, he knew I needed to go and see for myself what's happening, but he wanted me to stay with him. Sighing in defeat, he let go of my hand and I rushed out towards the direction that Nine and Five had gone.

I got there just as Nine tried cutting One loose from the machine. It looked a lot like a cobra, with a creepy doll face, red thread dripping from its teeth. The machine turned to Nine, whipping him with one of its long limbs, tossing him to the side. Seven leaped up at it, but it caught her, midair, and was about to slice her through with a pair of scissors. Just as it was about to end her life, an arrow hit it in the eye. I looked over to see five, lowering his crossbow from his own eye.

The machine shrieked at him before turning tail and slithering away, Seven thrown over it's shoulder.

"Seven!" Nine ran after them.

"Nine!" Seven tried getting loose, but it was to no avail. The machine was too strong! I ran forward, the machine was too fast for Nine, but I can catch up to it no problem. I jumped onto its back, hoping to help Seven get free. However, the sneaky serpent whipped back at me, sending me crashing into a pile of books. I heard Nine yell, and I got up. They were gone. Disappointed, I made my way back to the others. Three attacks by machines, and I was unable to do a thing._ I'm completely useless._

I saw the twins and Five standing over something. As I came closer, I realized, in despair, that it was Two. I learned later, that Two's body was attached to the machine, and was used like a lure. The idea made me sick. Two's memory should not have been tarnished like that. Those machines had no decency! I was, vaguely, aware of Nine saying we were going after them as I knelt besides Two's body. Placing my hand on his leg. I'm glad to know, it only sewed him onto the snake rather than completely mangling his body.

I looked up as Nine knelt at Two's head, "I can't let this happen to them." Five and Nine shared a look before Nine turned to me. "Go get Six. We'll have a small funeral for Two, then we're leaving."

I closed my eyes and looked down, before standing up, nodding, and headed back to get Six. When I found him, he was hunched over on the floor, like he was in pain. I went to his side, immediately, and wrapped my arms around him, humming softly. I recognized he was in a vision, and they usually hurt him. He whimpered, panting slightly. Poor Six. He finally snapped out of it, his eyes wide as he looked at me, "Z-Zero?"

"Shh, it's OK Six. I'm here." I ran a hand through his hair, and held him close. Rocking him slowly as his tremors slowly stopped, "We're having a memorial service for Two," He looked up at me and I helped him stand up, "Come on."

We walked together where the others had Two placed upon a mat that would serve as a boat. Six went to help them lower Two into the water while I stayed on the hill. I watched as Five placed a coin on his face. I watched as they pushed him off, and I watched as Two drifted away, past the bars leading outside. I sat down, my knees pulled to my chest, arms wrapped around them as I placed my head on them, my eyes closed. _I hate this. I don't want to lose anyone else._

I looked up as someone knelt down next to me, their arms wrapping around me. It was Six. I leaned into him, drawing comfort from his warm body against mine. He leaned back as I looked him in the eyes, "Leaving soon," I nodded and he helped me up. We walked over to the others, who were gathered around the entrance of the library. Nine and Five, though they were still slightly depressed over Two, still managed a small smile at the sight of Six and me walking, hand in hand, towards them. One looked like he might blow a fuse, and the twins, were just confused. They were too young to understand.

After making sure we were all ready to go, and had all the supplies necessary, we left. Back to the factory. Hopefully, this rescue attempt would end better than the last.

**~~~~'Nother Time Skip~~~~**

We hid behind some debris as a search light passed overhead. How security has tightened around the factory surprised me. The BRAIN doesn't take any chances. As the light moved away, we moved out from behind the debris, Nine and Five looking towards the entrance.

"I'm going in," Nine started forward only to stop as Five put a hand on his shoulder.

"I'm coming with you."

Nine turned back to him, shaking his head, "No, I need you here," Five and I blinked in surprise. Where is he going with this? "If I don't make it back, destroy it."

I went up to him, placing both hands on his shoulders, "Then you just have to be sure that you come back! Got it?" He gave me a small smile as he ran ahead, dodging searchlights in an effort to remain hidden.

Five called out to him, "Wait! How?" As Nine left, Five looked around, an idea slowly forming in his mind as he gazed at the oil.

"So then, let's hear it. What's your brilliant scheme?" How I longed to put One in his place, but Five simply turned to him, smiling, an unused match in his hand.

"We'll need a full barrel."

A grinned in understanding, oil is flammable! Quickly looking around, we saw there were none of the blimp-like machines in the area. We could easily get a barrel to the entrance without being seen.

It didn't take us long to find one, they had all been abandoned during the war. It did take some finagling to get it up to the entrance though. We managed, however. Five poured some of the oil out, to allow for time between lighting it, and us pushing it down the ramp. A small rag was placed inside to act as a sort of make-shift fuse. We balanced it right at the edge of the steep incline. The twins stabbing Seven's spear into the ground to use as leverage when the time came. Five looked around the barrel down into the tunnel. Nine hadn't come back with Seven and Eight yet.

"Where are they?"

One was getting impatient, coming up behind the one-eyed stitchpunk, lunging for the match, "It's been too long! We have to do it now!"

Five whirled around, grabbing One's arms, keeping him away, "No! They need more time!" Suddenly, what I had been dreading had occurred, a searchlight had landed on us, illuminating our figures for all to see. Five gasped in panic and fired his crossbow at the flying machine, hooking onto it. He grabbed the rope, pulling, "Help me pull it down!"

We all rushed to help. Well, except One. Realizing it was losing altitude, the machine let out an alarm, and attempted to escape. It was doing a hell of a job, pulling all of us (minus One) along the ground, and lifting us into the air. Suddenly, the rope became taunt, we all lost our grip, and fell in a pile onto the ground. One had tied the rope to the barrel!

I heard a rumbling from the tunnel, like thousands of legs running at the same time! One shouted something in panic, and Five yelled for One to help. One came running. Was he actually going to help us? No, I realized, he simply grabbed the match! Lighting it, he strode towards the barrel.

Five managed to pull himself up, running to One, holding his arms away from the oil, "No! Not yet!"

One tried to free himself, "Let go you fool!" Five stared him down. He stood up to One! 'Bout time!

We heard yelling from the tunnel, it was Nine! He was coming! We turned in surprise, Six, the twins, and I finally freeing ourselves from the dog pile. Five yelled, "Now!" As we all ran forward, throwing all our weight onto the barrel. Five lit the oil and added his own weight. Then One joined in! Sending the barrel tumbling. I watched as Nine and Seven barely avoided the barrel. Where was Eight? We turned as the machine was dragged down after the barrel. We had completely forgotten about it! We hit the deck, landing on our stomachs as it flew past. Nine and Seven pierced right through the cloth, and we all went running!

We barely got out of the way as a pillar of fire erupted from the pipe. We covered our heads to protect ourselves from the debris. It was over. It was finally over. We all started running again as the factory began to collapse, dust falling everywhere. We made it to the top of a small hill, next to a barbed wire fence and a small hut. Turning around, we looked at the wreckage before us. Four hiding behind Three, Seven holding her spear, One looking as smug as ever, Five smiling in glee, Nine in relief, and Six hugging me tightly. The factory was engulfed in flames. No way the BRAIN could survive that!

I heard One remark, "Good riddance," before we all followed the twins to and old record player. They placed on an album, putting the needle on top, and started to walk, turning the record, as it began to play, "Somewhere Over The Rainbow." Five hoisted Six onto his shoulders, Six laughing in delight, carrying him around. Seven sat on the needle, laughing at the two. The twins flashing their eyes behind her. She managed to scare them, causing them to fall to the ground, laughing. Nine even tried flirting with Seven. I laughed at them, Six was entranced by the phonograph's bell.

I looked around, trying to find One. He was sitting on an old bottle, his hat, finally, off. He was staring into the distance, towards the ruined factory. No doubt pondering what he'd done. I walked over to him, standing just behind him. He turned, briefly, back to me, then continued to stare at the scene in front of him.

"Well?" he asked, "Are you going to say, "I told you so?" Remind me, what I'd done is wrong?"

I stayed quiet for a moment. Pondering the stitchpunk before me. Sitting down next to him, I replied, "The Moving Finger writes; and, having writ, Moves on: nor all thy Piety nor Wit Shall lure it back to cancel half a Line, Nor all thy Tears wash out a Word of it." He looked at me in confusion and, seeing his look, I clarified, "It means, what's done is done. No use crying over it, and no matter what you do, you can't change what's been done. All you can do, is move on."

He pondered my words as we watched Five go running after a stray record. I laughed and turned towards the others. I felt at peace. Luckily, the machine had only gotten two of us. I assumed Eight had been taken since he didn't join Seven and Nine out of the pipe. We're safe. Six was on the handle of the phonograph as it went up and down, Seven sitting on the needle, while the twins ran on the record, holding each others hands.

We heard Five yelling something, but the music drowned out his words. Everything seemed to move in slow motion; the twins stumbled, flying across the record, knocking off Seven and the needle from its place, Six jumped down as I turned my eyes widening. NO! Five had been grabbed! Nine ran forward, One holding him back. All I could do was stand there and watch as the machine drained Five of life. He struggled the whole while, desperate to get free. I hardly noticed as the twins buried there heads into my chest. The machine dropped Five's body, a green outline of Five could be seen in it's one eye.

I heard talking, shouting, but I was numb to it all. _How? How had the machine survived? Why now when everything was so peaceful?_ I finally snapped out of it as we crossed the bridge. The twins had been pulling me along, ahead of me was One. I started to panic. Where was Six? Behind me, I heard Six yelling, grabbing Nine as Seven tried to pry the machine off the bridge. It fell, one claw crashing through the wood, grabbing Six.

"SIX! NOOO!" I screamed, running forward. I don't know what I hoped to accomplish, all I knew was that I needed to get to Six! One and the twins held me back.

I slumped to the ground as Six started yelling to us, "Go back! To the first room! He'll show you! The Source!" He turned to the machine as it drew him closer, accepting his fate. I couldn't though, and I screamed as the machine dropped his body into the abyss. My screaming became shrill, something popped inside me, and I was unable to scream. I was unable to make any sound at all! I closed my eyes, my hands to the ground, silently sobbing. Six. He was gone. Just as everything was going to turn out all right.

One turned to us after staring at the machine, "It must be destroyed."

"No, no we can't!" Nine turned to One and I looked up at him as he continued, "Didn't you hear him? They're trapped inside! We can still save them!"

Seven looked confused and, I have to admit, so was I, "What? How?"

"We have to find the Source. It holds the answer."

Seven sighed, looking down before continuing, "We need to destroy it."

"But there's still a chance!" Nine wouldn't quit, he was determined. I knew we needed to find the Source, if Six said it had to be done, then it had to be done. Six always knew what was going on. I wasn't about to stop listening to him now! Even if he was gone..

We all looked towards the Fabrication Machine, as I heard Three and Four call it, as it started swaying back and forth. It was trying to free itself. One muttered, "We're out of time," before Seven turned back to Nine.

"Nine, they're gone.."

He looked at us in defiance before running off, "You're wrong." Seven started after him before One placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Let him go," He said. The twins coming over to me, each placing a hand on one of my shoulders. I stood up, hugging them close. Before pointing to Nine.

Three asked me, _"You're going, too?"_ I nodded, Four grabbed my arm.

"_No! Don't go! We can't lose you, too!"_ I smiled at the two before patting their heads, trying to tell them that I'd be back soon and not to worry. Hoping I got the point across, I rushed in the direction Nine had gone. I ran, faster than I had ever run before. I ran, quickly catching up with Nine. He turned to me, he looked angry that I had come after him. I stopped in confusion.

"Don't you try to convince me, too! I'm going to the First Room! I need to know.." He trailed off, understanding flashed through my mind. He thought I wanted him to go back to the others and help them destroy the machine! I smiled, grabbing his attention before shaking my head. I pointed at myself, then at him, and finally, to the direction we were headed. Nine looked at me in wonder, "You're coming with me?" I grinned brightly, clapping my hands together in applause, he had got it! He smiled, "Well, let's go then," Turning around, he lead the way to the next part of our journey. Back where it all began.


	8. Chapter 8

**I know I posted this rather quickly, but I couldn't leave my computer! I ended up typing this chapter as well. Although it is rather short, I'm sure you won't be disappointed! I must say though, I was crying my eyes out writing this! I ended up placing myself in Zero's shoes... I do want to tell you though, this is not the last chapter! No matter what you might think, there will be another chapter after this one! Now that that's out of the way, review time! Now who's first?**

**Skullwitch- You'll just have to see in my next chapter!**

**5x10 Love- sorry to hear about the wifi thing, but! It all worked out! Yeah, I thought about it, but I couldn't find a place to put it. I'm happy to report that they do kiss in this chapter! Sorta. Also, thanks for the thoughts! I'm pondering if I should do a sequel or just continue to add on to this story. What do you guys think?**

**OK, enough talking! Let's move on to the STORY!**

After running for the better part of the day, we had finally made it to the Scientist's house. Up the twisted stairway we climbed, until we reached the very room in which all of us had originated. Everything was precisely the way we left it merely days ago. With the exception of a few papers that had blown across the room due to the wind. While Nine studied the schematics for the BRAIN, and those that lead to his own creation, I visited my old friend one more time. How his appearance had changed throughout these many years. Much more thinner than he used to be. But, that was due to the mummification process his body had undergone.

A large gust of wind blew away the papers, revealing the box in the Scientist's hand. Looking over, both Nine and I noticed something that had escaped my attention when I first beheld the box; a small tag with the number nine written on it. Curiosity piqued, Nine opened the lid while I stood next to him. A small lens positioned itself over a projector, and a hologram of the Scientist appeared in front of us.

He began to speak, "Greetings, Nine. No doubt Zero is with you as well, in which case, greetings to you, too, my dear friend. It had such promise, my great machine, it was meant to be an instrument of progress, of creation. That was the agreement our Chancellor failed to honor. Though the fault is, hardly, his alone to bear. The machine was born purely of my intellect, which, I now know, was not enough. My creation was hopelessly flawed and, indeed, dangerous, for it lacked the human soul and could be easily corrupted by those who controlled it. That is why I am making each of you. You are all that is left of humanity. You are all the pieces of my soul."

By this time, the hologram Scientist had pulled out the small (compared to his size) talisman, "Together, you and this device shall protect the future. Look closely, and remember what you see." He had pressed the talisman in a counter clockwise motion. I was careful to remember the exact sequence in which the three symbols were pressed. I wasn't about to let Six down!

The hologram took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes. I frowned sadly, he looked so tired. He directed his next few words to me, "Zero, if you are watching this with Nine, which I have no doubt you are, I want to apologize to you. I didn't allow you to watch how I made each of you because I knew it would haunt you forever. You would have been too concerned over me to fulfill your purpose. And I apologize. I'm deeply sorry that I am about to die, and I did not allow you to say goodbye to me. So, I shall say it now. Goodbye, Zero. My first creation and my dearest friend."

I looked down in silent sorrow as the hologram ended, having completed showing the last few moments of my old friend's life. Nine placed a hand on my shoulder. Now I knew, we owed this man so much more than I had first thought for creating us. He sacrificed his own life so that we might live. Nine went over to the Scientist, moving the paper away from his face and gazing at him, for the first time. He placed his hand on the old man's head, in silent thanks for the life he gave to us, and apology for the his own untimely end. I placed a hand on Nine's shoulder and, as he turned to face me, I motioned to the door. We needed to tell the others. Nine nodded and we ran outside to find them. And to prevent them from committing a grave error.

**~~~~Final Time Skip~~~~**

As we ran through the old battleground, we continually looked for the others. They had to be here somewhere! I climbed onto a pile of sand sacks, holding onto a spike protruding from the top most sack. Looking in every direction.

Nine shouted up to me, "Do you see them anywhere?" I was about to turn to him and shake my head no, when a large explosion drew my attention to a cloud of rising dust. I quickly looked to Nine and pointed in the direction of the explosion. He nodded in confirmation before running off in the direction I had pointed. He had already learned I could run faster than him, and didn't concern himself with me catching up.

It didn't take long for us to find the others. They had positioned themselves on a cannon, and were, currently, firing at the approaching machine. They were landing near direct hits! By the way things were going, the talisman would be destroyed! I waved my arms, desperately trying to get their attention while Nine yelled out at them, "I now know the truth!" It worked, and they stopped what they were doing to look over at us, "The Scientist," he continued as we got closer, sliding down the sacks of sand and stopping in front of Seven, "he's the Source! He gave us his soul," Seven lifted her helmet, staring at him, "We are him," The twins looked over to me in confusion as I nodded, confirming what he said.

"Load the cannon!" One barked at the twins who hastily complied. Nine and I objected.

"Stop! You'll destroy the talisman!" The machine loomed above us as One leaped towards us.

"It's too late!" He grabbed onto the lever, pulling it back and launching the missile at the machine. Luckily, it missed the talisman. However, that also meant that the machine continued after us. We all gasped in fear and ran. With how close it was, there was no time to load it again. The machine lashed out, sending the cannon flying. We had to change the direction in which we ran to avoid being crushed.

Running under a fence of barbed wire, we entered a mine shaft, hiding behind a crate of ammunition. We had some time, since the machine had gotten tangled in the wire. I somewhat questioned Nine's choice in a hiding place. Usually, ammunition tended to explode. The thought quickly left my brain as Nine began to draw in the dirt, "We need to take the talisman from the machine! It can be used against it. I'll lure it to me, and then you'll have a chance," The others eyes grew wide at his words. _Surely he wasn't suggesting-?_

Seven shook her head, "No, Nine, don't do this. What if you're wrong?"

"I'll show you how to use it. Zero knows as well. But just in case something happens.." He trailed off at the look I gave him. Sure bravado plastered on my face, with my fist going to my chest. No way was I dying! Nine smiled at my enthusiasm before turning back to Seven, "It'll be OK." He showed them how to use the talisman, just then the roof began to tear itself away from the mine shaft we were in. The machine had freed itself! We ran out from behind the crate and down to the other exit. The machine spewed fire at us, and we were forced to dodge flying bullets and shrapnel.

As we exited the tunnel, the fire reached a box of explosives, sending us all flying in different directions. One and I landed next to each other. A slight buzzing filling my ears as One crawled behind a barrier. I rushed to him in horror as I saw his hand, most of his fingers were blown off, the metal twisted by the extreme heat. The pain he must be in.

I shook my head as I realized I could barely hear a thing. It all seemed muffled. I heard a small shout, and noticed One look up. Looking in the direction of his gaze, I saw Nine, facing down the machine. I could hear One speaking, but could barely make out his words, "They left us nothing. Nothing. Why do we have to right their wrongs? Sometimes, One must be sacrificed..." He leaped forward, knocking me over to prevent me from stopping him as he pushed Nine out of the way.

Nine yelled and I got up, just as Nine latched onto the machine, pulling at the talisman. As One's essence was pulled into it, the talisman came free. The machine roared, electricity crackling off of it in fury as it reached toward Nine. Nine activated the talisman, and directed it towards the machine towering before him. A green light shot towards it, much more powerful than the light that enveloped the others. Five bright lights had left the machine and entered the talisman, I presumed they were the souls of the others.

When the last light left the machine and into the talisman, it closed. The machine writhed once, bringing itself to full height before exploding, and falling over the two bodies of One and Nine. We all rushed forward, desperate to know he was alright. I reached them just as Seven pulled Nine close to her. His eyes were closed. We all sighed in relief when he opened his eyes, groaning softly. I hugged the twins in delight as Nine stood up (with the help of Seven). She hugged him close, speaking words too soft for me to hear. He responded, looking at the talisman, but I still couldn't hear. I frowned as the twins turned to me in concern.

Four flashed his eyes at me, _"Are you all right?"_ I couldn't hear his optics flash either! Alarmed, I placed a hand to the side of my head and shrugged. Three grabbed Seven and Nine's attention, pointing to me. I repeated the gesture and they showed signs of alarm as well. If only Two were here. He'd know how to fix it.

Seven and Nine started talking and Three grabbed my attention, _"We're going to hold a funeral for the others. Could you help us find cloth?" Why would we need cloth?_ I wondered but agreed anyway, and went with the twins to find some cloth.

It didn't take us long, it took more time for the twins to agree on where to look than to actually gathering the cloth. But, we managed. When we reached Seven and Nine, they had built a small pile of wood in the center of five poles. As I handed them the cloth, they painted the numbers of those who were gone on each cloth. Clarity filled my mind. Now I understand what they're doing. I helped them put each cloth on a pole, I put up Six's cloth wile the twins took care of One and Two, Seven put up Eight's cloth, and Nine put up Five's. I stayed in front of Six's cloth for a bit, silent sobs shaking my frame. How I missed him.

I joined the others as Seven lit the fire in the center, and Nine activated the talisman one more time. Shaking, it fell from his hand, landing on the ground before bursting open with a crack of thunder that, though I couldn't hear it, felt shake through my body. A green light came out of it, taking the shape of a very large stitchpunk. It was Eight. The twins hid behind me and Seven as he turned towards us. The ever present scowl on his face. Then, he smiled. A real, genuine smile that looked like it might split his face in two.

He stepped aside as Six came out after him, waving at the twins, who waved back vigorously, before coming up to me. He smiled shyly, I smiled back at him, though, my smile was sad. He gave me a hug, and kissed my cheek softly before leading Eight away to his cloth before walking to his own. I placed a hand on my cheek. Though I couldn't really feel it, I could imagine Six's lips pressing against my cheek, and I sobbed. How I wish he hadn't died.

Next came Two, who looked at Nine before stepping away to make room for Five. They both smiled at him, their look already saying that they forgave him for his mistake in waking up the machine. Two placed an arm on his apprentice's shoulder before, slowly, walking away to stand in front of the cloth marked with his number. Five looked at us, hands folded in front of his chest. He looked just as timid as he always did, except for a small fire in his eye, that showed how much he'd changed since he first met Nine.

Lastly, came One. His hands held behind his back as he strode towards Nine, the same narrowed eyes and frowned look on his face from when they'd first met. However, as he stopped in front of Nine, he smiled, his eyes becoming softer as he placed a hand on his shoulder. Nine smiled back, grateful to One for saving his life. One patted his shoulder and walked away, to join his own place in the circle of all the now deceased stitchpunks.

They all began to rise into the sky. All except Five, who looked back to us with a sad frown on his face. Nine and him shared a brief glance before he, too, began to rise into the air with the others. I watched as they rose, higher and higher, following the glow of the striped stitchpunk I loved, until they all met together, into a single point in the sky, and vanished from my sight.

Lightning flashed across the sky, and I stared upwards in confusion. I hadn't seen lightning in so many years. Then, the rain began to fall. I held my arms up, catching small drops of the falling water into my upright hands. The others were fascinated, and I remembered, they hadn't seen rain before! I turned to see their reactions. Their first rainfall. Nine had caught a raindrop in his palm, and let it run off his hand. Seven was brushing a stray drop off of her face, while the twins were trying to catch as many drops as they could. I smiled, though my heart was breaking. If only Six could see this.

I hugged the twins close to me, and they returned the gesture eagerly. Seven and Nine joined in as well. I knew that we would come to be happy together. For we had faced the machines together, as well as death itself, and we survived. This world was ours now. And we could be in peace. Together.


	9. Chapter 9

**Good evening everyone! I have decided that I am going to continue with this story! Also, I can't just keep the stichpunks dead! That would be so depressing! Six and Zero never showed any romance yet! Also, if it's OK with 5x10 Love, I might borrow Ten from her! Five is my second favorite stitchpunk, and I think he deserves romance! Review time!**

**Skullwitch- yes, I simply had to. I thought it seemed odd that no one lost their hearing from such a large blast in the movie and at being so close to it! However, her hearing will be fixed in this chapter!**

**Dreadingthedaywhenyourgone- I'm glad to know you like my writing! I understand how you feel, I was crying when I wrote the chapter! The few grammatical errors could be because a lot of these I posted at, like, one in the morning.**

**5x10 Love- I'm adding on! I couldn't let it end like that! This chapter might be short, but I hope you'll like it. I was confused about the order they came out as well. I wondered about why they decided to make Eight first. But, whatever.**

**STORY TIME!**

It's been a week since the Fabrication machine had been destroyed. A week since the others had died. Since Six had died. Oh how I missed him! The twins had tried cheering me up but, it was no good. I began to drift deeper and deeper into a dark depression that, I feared, I may never recover from. I found myself staring out at the sky, the rain continued falling intermittently, it seemed as though the earth was healing. The seasons seemed to be catching up with each other. First it would be cold, the rain falling like sharp needles, while at other times it would be so hot and humid that the rain didn't seem to fall as much as it simply hung in the air in a dense fog.

I sighed and stood up, walking away from the library. Though I knew there were still machines lurking about (they can't have all been destroyed in the blast), I decided to take a walk along the ever growing river. It was incredibly risky on my behalf, I couldn't hear the machines if they were coming for me, and I couldn't yell for help if I saw one. I knew I should have, at least, taken one of the twins with me, but I didn't want to. I just wanted to be alone. If a machine got me, then so be it. At least then, I could be with Six.

I sighed silently, although, everything is silent to me. I looked around. I should look around more often than I have been, but it gets hard to find a reason to. Self-preservation still dominates my every thought of dying though, and I still manage to look up from the ground. I twirled around in confusion, the library was so far away. How long had I been walking? I looked in each direction, curious as to what could be out here in this empty wasteland. I spotted a light in the distance, not too far from where I was at now, but still a little out of the way. I doubt I would've noticed it had I not been following the river.

I ran towards it. A machine would have no use for a fire! The firelight became brighter and brighter as I got closer and closer. A figure was lying down in front of it. As I reached the figure, I started in surprise. It was Two! Did something find his body and attempt to burn it? Panicking, I grabbed his body, thinking to move it away from the flames. I couldn't let that happen, even if he was gone! The thought of Two's body being burnt..

Two's body started moving, struggling against my grip. I halted in dragging his body. Two's alive? How? I quickly let go of him and knelt in front of him, grabbing his shoulders with my hands. He stopped struggling as he got a clear look at my face. He put his hands to my face, cupping it gently, before starting to speak to me. All I could hear was muffled noise and I shook my head. He stopped talking in confusion as I put a hand to the side of my head. Quickly understanding the problem, he started to write in the dirt.

I looked at the finished sentence, _'Are the others all right?'_

I frowned, writing out my answer, _'Nine, Seven, Three, and Four are all that's left. The others were lost.'_ He placed a hand to his head as I continued, _'How are you alive? Could the others have come back as well?'_ Hope instantly rekindled itself within me as I thought of Six. Could he be alive as well? I wanted to go and find him immediately, but I couldn't just leave Two. He didn't look so good. Even as he wrote his response, I noticed his haggard appearance. Though he didn't have any cuts on him, his cloth and leather skin seemed more worn than it was before. He hunched himself over and was leaning heavily on the hand that wasn't, currently, writing on the soft ground. With how wet it had been lately, he must be soaked to the bone, and freezing. No, I couldn't just abandon him to go and look for Six. I had to get him back to the others.

I blinked in surprise as he waved a hand in front of my eyes. I must have spaced out, because he smiled kindly and pointed to the message he'd just written out, _'I'm not sure. They very well could be though.'_

I nodded in determination and wrote out a final sentence for him to read, _'OK, I'm going to take you to the others.'_ Before he could object (or agree as I couldn't have known what he might have planned to write), I placed his arm over my shoulders, and hoisted him up. He was lighter than I'd thought he'd be, and I walked on towards the library.

The walk back seemed longer than I remembered. However, that could just be because I was completely zoned out as I was walking earlier. Two shook against me frequently in, what I could assume to be, hacking coughs. I needed to get him back, quickly.

After what seemed like an eternity, we finally made it back to the library. I took Two to a small room (which had been designated as mine for the time being), and placed him onto a small spool of thread that served as a chair. Motioning for him to wait there, I grabbed some rags that I used for blankets and wrapped them around him, before looking for the others. I found them in the storage room where the Twins had their scrapbook set up. They all looked as if they were ready to leave. I soon found out why as Seven and Nine rushed up to me. They looked angry (in the case of Seven), and relieved (Nine and the twins). Seven grabbed my shoulders and shook me lightly. I could hear her slightly as she was yelling at me, forgetting that I couldn't hear. I smiled sheepishly. I guess they were about to go searching for me. They must have been worried.

Seven let go of me as the twins rushed up and hugged me, they were sobbing heavily. I tried to comfort them as best as I could while, at the same time, trying to get everyone's attention. Nine finally realized something was up, and tugged the twins away from me for a moment. Seven turned as Nine said something to her, and I motions for them all to follow me. I rushed out of the room, pausing just long enough to make sure they were following me before jogging back to my room. I stood just outside the door, waiting for them to catch up. As they were only a few steps away, I ran inside and lit a candle to illuminate the room. I checked on Two (who was smiling at me in gratitude) before facing the others.

They all stood in the doorway, shock apparent on their faces. Two said something, and Seven jumped towards him, embracing him tightly. The others followed suit. I smiled before turning away. Now that I knew Two would be safe, I could go and find Six. A hand latching onto my arm stopped me, and I turned around to find Four holding onto me.

I frowned at him slightly, and he asked me, _"Where are you going?"_ I turned to him fully, the others were all watching our conversation, while Two, it seemed, was translating what Four was saying to Nine. I held up six fingers and he shook his head, _"No! You can't! What if a machine got you?"_ I shook my head in protest, and Nine came up to me, placing a hand on my shoulder. He shook his head as well and spoke with Four.

Four nodded to him and spoke to me,_ "Nine said he'd go and find Six, but you have to stay here."_ I stepped back, but Nine's hand held me firmly in place as I shook my head and pointed to me then the door. I had to find him. Nine looked at me firmly before speaking to Four again. Four translated,_ "He said, Two is willing to fix your hearing, but you need to stay here. There is no need for you to go out right now. He'll bring back Six as soon as he can."_ I looked Nine in the eyes, a sad look on my face and his eyes softened in understanding. I looked down, a silent sob shaking my frame as I nodded, and Nine gave me a tight hug. He let go of me and left. Four hugged me as soon as Nine let go, and Three rushed forward behind his twin. I placed my arms around the two before I walked over to Two. He had a sympathetic smile on his face and pulled me to him in a hug as well. I hugged him back and pulled away.

He spoke to the twins, it was Three that came over this time, and he told me, _"Two said he'll start working on you in the morning cause it's really late and he needs to gather his strength."_ I nodded in understanding, and Seven and I helped him into my bed (which consisted of a sponge with some folded cloth for pillows). He curled up and, after grasping my hand in thank you, fell asleep right away.

I walked out of the room, and the twins brought me into their room where they curled up next to me on the bed, and fell asleep, hugging me close. I smiled at the two, softly touching their heads as I, too, began to fall asleep.

**~~~~ XP~~~~**

By the time I woke up, it was morning. The twins were gone, I guess to get whatever Two might need to fix me with. I walked into my room to check on Two, I found him sitting up in bed, a small piece of graphite and a piece of paper in front of him. As soon as he saw me, he smiled and began to write on the paper.

I walked up to him and looked at the paper, _'The twins have gone to gather supplies,'_ I nodded, I had suspected that much, and read on, _'As soon as they get back, I will put you under and fix your hearing.'_ I was a little unnerved about that. Would it be possible that, after being put to sleep, I wouldn't wake up again?

I was brought out of my musings by someone tackling me from behind. I turned in glee, thinking it was Six, only to find Three hugging me close to him. Although I was slightly disappointed, I still smiled and hugged him close. He looked up at me, his eyes flashing in communication, _"Ready?"_ I nodded then held up six fingers. He understood immediately, _"I don't know.. Nine hasn't come back yet.."_ I looked down sadly and felt a hand on my shoulder. I looked back to see Two offering a sympathetic smile. I placed a hand on his just as Four came in with the last of the supplies. Two led me to the bed and I laid down. Three went to get Seven who would help Two work on me since Five wasn't here, and Four left because Two didn't want the twins to watch. I laid on my back as Two opened the snaps that held my chest together. Just as Seven came in, Two fiddled with something and I was out cold.

**~~~~ Oh please forgive me for such a short span of time between time skips!~~~~**

I was barely aware of people talking around me. That alone, shocked me enough to open my eyes. I didn't try to get up. I was still dazed from being put to sleep and I looked around. I was alone in my room for the moment. After lying there for a few seconds, I sat up and swung my legs onto the floor. I listened for a bit to see if I could discern who it was that was speaking. Unable to tell who it was, I stood up and left my room.

I walked through the library, over to the twins room to find them fast asleep. How long had I been out? I continued on and passed by the room that the twins stored their findings. Inside was Two, Nine and Seven. They were all talking in low voices. I walked up to them. Two was the first to notice me.

"Zero! So good to see you're up!" I smiled. I could hear again! Nine and Seven turned to look at me as Two continued, "We were unable to find a voice box for you, so you'll have to get used to not speaking for the moment," I waved a hand at him. It was no big deal. I turned to Nine, desperate to hear from him about Six.

He smiled at me and walked out of the room. I started to follow but Seven held me back, "Hold on, Zero. Just wait a moment," I looked from her to Two, They both had wide grins on their faces while I stared in confusion. I was suddenly tackled in a hug. Thinking it was one of the twins, I turned around only to freeze. It was Six! He looked at me, smiling, and I could only stand there in shock. _Six, Six is alive! He's standing right here in front of me! Am I dreaming?_ I placed a hand to his face softly, just to be sure he really was there.

"Zero," I hugged him tightly, shocked, he placed his hands around me as I began to sob. _Oh, how I wish I could speak! Six, how I wish I could tell you how much I've missed you!_ Two, Seven and Nine smiled at the scene in front of them, and Nine patted my back. Whirling around, I gave him a hug too, thanking him for finding Six.

Nine laughed, "You're welcome, Zero."

I turned back to Six and did the one thing I've been dying to for so long. I kissed him. His eyes widening in surprise before kissing me back, his arms wrapping around me. As we pulled away and looked to the others, I laughed as at almost identical look of shock shone on all their faces. Six tugged at my hand and we both left the room, leaving the three to ponder what had just happened.


	10. Chapter 10

**Peoples! I am going to make another Nine story! It's going to have Zero in it as well, however, she will not be with the others while the movie is taking place! And, I will (with the continued permission of 5x10 Love) include Ten in the story! I'm hoping it will live up to all of your expectations as well as this story has!**

**Skullwitch- THANK YOU VERY MUCH!**

**5x10 Love- It might take me some time to incorporate Ten into this story, however she will make a faster appearance in the other story! If you still plan on letting me use her! And, of course I'll give you credit for her, I just wanna make sure I still have your permission before continuing! XP Also, YES! They definitely need more alone time!**

As we both left the room, and three very confused stitchpunks, I couldn't resist hugging Six again. He was alive! I've never felt so happy, or so relieved! He led me back to a room that he had claimed as his own. Already, it had been covered in papers pinned to the walls depicting Six's drawings. Though there were some of the talisman, most of them consisted of myself. I stared at them in awe before pondering to myself, just how long was I asleep?

Six, who has the uncanny ability to know everything that is going on, spoke to me, "You were asleep a whole day," I turned to him in surprise. A whole day? He nodded at my confused stare and continued, "Asleep when I got here. Whole time been waiting.." He looked so sad, it broke my heart slightly. I gave him another hug, nuzzling his neck with my optics. He stroked my back with his fingers. He was probably getting ink on me but I didn't care.

He yawned largely, and I pulled away from him, smiling. He looked at me, confused, as I lead him to the bed. I set him down, forcing him into bed before climbing in myself. He started slightly, "Zero?" I placed a hand to his face, effectively silencing him, and cuddled close, my hand on his chest and my head on his arm. He wrapped his arms around me as we both fell into a deep sleep for the night.

**~~~~ Trying to dodge fireworks does not end well ~~~~**

I woke up to Six whimpering in his sleep. I sat up, still a bit groggy, and shook him slightly. He opened his eyes and, upon seeing me, hugged me around my waist, tightly. I hugged him back, carefully running my fingers through his hair, as he trembled violently. Again, I found myself wishing I could speak. If I could, then I could hum to Six to help him calm down.

As Six's trembling began to slow, I tried to meet his gaze. He continued to keep his face buried into my stomach, so I placed both hands on the side of his face, and forced him to look up at me. I gave him a questioning glance, to which he replied, "Many more machines. Must find the others. Bring them to safety..." I nodded to him, giving him another hug before laying him back to the bed. I stayed with him for a while, until he fell asleep. After I was sure he had drifted off, I snuck out of his arms, across the room, and out the door.

I'm not going to be as useless as I was during the fight against the Fabrication Machine! Though, I stopped myself before I left and I pondered for a moment, I couldn't go out to find the others unarmed. That would be foolish! But what should I use? I wondered to Two's new workshop. There has to be something.. I thought of all the weapons that humans had used over the years before settling on one that might suite my needs. The tekko kagi is a multi-bladed weapon that attaches around the wrist, and held into place by the hands. I grabbed some supplies to make it, and headed out to a shop nearby that I knew had, at one time, sold blades of every shape and size (along with many other weapons but most of this are too big for a stitchpunk). I decided to work there to prevent waking up anyone else.

Looking in both directions, I ran as quietly as I could across the library, down the courtyard, and through the iron gates, leading out into the streets of the deserted city. Why they decided to built a weapon's shop mere blocks from the library, I have no clue. But, I was not complaining. The windows in the door had been smashed in, and most of the weapons had been stolen years ago, but they left the smaller blades that I would need to complete my tekko kagi.

Leaping onto one of the few intact counters, I placed down the supplies I currently had, and wandered around the shop, looking for uniform blades to use. I managed to find six of them. They all came in a small box labeled, "Warren Tang Blades." These didn't seem like they were originally made for a weapon, but they would be useful in my case! Bringing them back to my small pile of supplies, I began to work on my weapons.

I was going to need to attach these blades to my hands and wrists, however, because these blades weren't flat, I was going to need to attach them to something so they wouldn't lie against my hands the wrong way. I had drilled holes in four pieces of wood, and looped a cord of leather through three of the blades and two pieces of wood, connecting them together. However, this still had them turning, so I tied a second cord above the other that was used to hold them together. Now I needed a way to attach it to my wrists, and hold it steady in my hands. It certainly wouldn't do for it to rotate around my wrist during battle. Grabbing the square of leather, I sewed it onto the leather cords, creating a strap to go around my wrists. Trying it on, I found it went over my wrists, but it covered my thumb as well. I frowned in annoyance. How would I solve this? Suddenly, a eureka moment! I took off the nearly finished weapon, and cut a hole in the leather. Trying it on again, I was able to place my thumb through the new hole, and gripped the leather. It was perfect! It took longer than I thought to make it, but now I knew how to make the other.

It was rather quick work making the second one and, when I finished, I had two tekko kagi ready to be used against the first machine I came across! Beaming widely, I jumped off the counter, and ran out the door. I decided to try and find One first. He was older, and, more likely, defenseless out here on his own. Five and Eight could handle themselves without much difficulty. I pulled the knob on my watch (to stop it from ticking), and ran towards where we had last seen One's body.

As I was running, I was suddenly struck by the thought that I, somewhat, resembled a ninja. I was certainly fast enough to be one, and the tekko kagi was predominantly used by the ninja. I laughed at the thought. Seven would be more of a ninja than I would. She had the speed, agility, and strength needed and, while I had the speed and agility down pat, strength was a department in which I was lacking greatly.

All the while I was pondering the thought of me being a ninja, I had been getting closer, and closer to the Fabrication Machine. I still preferred to call it the BRAIN, just because it was shorter, and it's what the Scientist, Julius I had to remind myself, had originally named it. As the BRAIN suddenly loomed over me, I was suddenly frozen in place by the unmistakable feeling of fear. I forced myself to move. The BRAIN was destroyed now. There was no reason to be afraid any longer of the twisted metal in front of me. And yet, this was the very thing that had torn Six away from me.

At the memory of Six's body falling into the abyss, anger coursed within me. Anger at the BRAIN for taking him from me, and anger at myself for being unable to stop it. I started kicking at it, slashing at wires with my newly made weapons, and destroying anything I could. Something moving to my left caused me to stop as suddenly as I began my senseless destruction. Anger still simmering in me, I walked over to where I heard the noise. Moving some fallen debris, I came across the broken form of One.

He looked very different from the dictator that had lead the others for so many years. He looked, well, old. A broken old man who had given up on life. He looked up at me in slight fear before realizing who it was standing before him. Then a look of grief struck his face and he slumped where he lay, "Don't even bother yourself with me, Zero. Just go away."

I blinked in surprise, kneeling down before him and grabbing his left hand, the one that had been destroyed in the blast. Though it must have pained him, he barely flinched as I touched it. Most of the fingers were gone, and the two that were still there looked beyond repair. However, I'm sure Two would be able to do something with it. Nodding, I grabbed his other arm and hauled him to his feet.

Sputtering in surprise, he struggled to get away, "What are you doing? Release me at once!" I shook my head, still pulling him along. He still continued to argue with me. Questioning why I would want to rescue him? After everything he had done, why did he deserved to live? What would prevent him from leaving to find a machine to end his life once we had reached our destination? I whirled on him, fury burned onto my face, and he flinched away from me. I let go of his hand and began to write in the dirt, _'Even one life lost, is one life too many!'_ Repeating the words I had spoken to him, so long ago.

He looked shocked for a moment, before nodding in agreement, "You're right, Zero. I-I forgot about that. But, why would my life be worth anything? I had done so much wrong to the others. How do I continue with such knowledge?"

I smiled before writing again, _'Remember what I told you? On the hill?'_

He nodded, pausing for a moment before continuing, "Though I don't remember the exact words, something along the lines of, 'you can't change the past.' Right?" I nodded to him, still smiling, before grabbing his arm again, and continuing to the library. He walked along with me, my argument being persuasive enough that he didn't fight against me. I was finally being more useful to the others.

Stopping in front of the iron gates, I turned to One, pointing to the library, I pushed him ahead of me and he turned around to face me in shock, "You're not coming?" I shook my head and wrote in the dirt, _'Five and Eight to look for yet.'_ "Yes, but surely the others-" I swiped at the air in front of me, cutting him off, an annoyed look on my face. I quickly wrote out, _'I need to do something useful. I was useless while the BRAIN was taking everyone, and I need to prove I'm able to do something worthwhile!'_ One was about to say something, but I spun around, and ran away. I still needed to find the others! My next destination; the hill with the record player, and Five.


	11. Chapter 11

**Ahhh, a new chapter! I really don't like it. You guys are probably gonna hate me for being so mean to Zero! I want to apologize for how short it is, but I'm kinda burnt out from working on the other story. Reviews make me smile! And I notice that more people are following this story, so to you people, REVIEW! I HAVE YOUR USERNAMES! Anyways, onto those who _have_ reviewed.**

**Skullwitch- Yes, they are a cute couple. But, that's because I made them that way! Lol, and I'm hoping I will make One realize it soon enough. We'll have to see if he wants to be written that way.**

**5x10 Love- Thank you for being a fan girl! We need more people like you! And the tekko kagi is also used in India, and is also called the "tiger claws." Hope you like my new story as well!**

I ran away from the library. I could have sworn that I heard the others calling me, but it could have been my imagination. I'm glad Julius made me faster than the others, because I could easily out run them if they tried to stop me. I need to get to Five. I need to help him reach home. I remember that, when the BRAIN had taken his soul, his eye patch had been burnt. It must be paining him. He might have been able to fix it, briefly, but Two was going to have to make a more permanent solution. Five can't exactly see his own face.

I made it to the ravine where Six had fallen. I was going to need to cross it to reach Five. Why did I go this way? Now I'll need to backtrack to the battle grounds, and go towards the destroyed factory to reach the hill. Or, I could do something more drastic. Time _is_ of the essence. I looked around, trying to find the bridge. Though it was mostly destroyed, there was still enough to protrude from the cliff farther than it would be normally.

I climbed onto the ruined structure and looked across the abyss before me. It was a rather far jump. Looking down, I registered how deep it went. If I fell, there would be no hope for survival. The other half of the bridge was still hanging on the other side. I didn't need to make it completely across, I just needed to get enough force behind me to propel me towards the bridge.

Nodding, I walked away a few feet, and crouched down, my tekko kagi brushing the ground as I crouched low, readying myself for a swift sprint. I took off, dust kicking up behind me as I ran forward. I gripped the weapons in my hands as I reached the bridge, and I jumped. Immediately, I felt gravity grab hold of my body, the wind caressing me as I flew towards the other side. I started to lose altitude, and I panicked for a moment. I thought I might not make it.

Just as I was millimeters away from the bridge, I threw my hands forward, the blades scraping against the wood of the bridge and lodging themselves deep within it. I slammed against the bridge. The force stunning me momentarily, and I couldn't move. I hung there, as I slowly began to recover, and climbed upward. Pulling myself up with only my arms to support me was difficult, I dug the blades into the wood, pulled myself up, dug in the blades of the other hand, and repeated. It was slow, and difficult, but I managed.

I reached the top after 15 minutes of climbing, and my arms were beginning to burn. My right shoulder throbbed painfully. I think it might have dislocated itself when I grabbed onto the bridge, but I would deal with it later. I lay on my back, panting heavily. I had made it. Though, I don't think I would EVER try that again. I laughed though no one would be able to hear it. I stood up, my shoulder burning suddenly, and I gripped it in pain. Oh, yeah. I'll need Two to look at it once I get back. Perhaps I'll go to Eight after getting Five. That way, I would have some help in sifting through rubble at the factory if I needed to.

I walked up the hill before me. I wonder if the record player is still there? The answer soon made itself clear as I reached the top. No. It was gone. It must have been destroyed when the BRAIN had gone by. Not for the first time, I found myself silently cursing the machines. Why did they have the need to destroy everything? What have we done to them? Shaking my head, I broke myself out of my train of thought. _This is no time to be wondering about the machines! I have to find Five!_

I walked over to where Five had fallen. Though his body was gone, there were tracks in the dirt indicating where he had gone. Following the footprints, I moved on. I was so intent on the footprints on the ground, I hadn't been paying attention to where they were leading me, and I found myself standing just outside the factory. _Why would Five go here? To look for Eight?_ Curious, I made my way across the rubble. Kicking random bits of metal here and there as I went. A noise drew my attention, and I headed towards it. If I could have talked, I would have called out to it, but I couldn't. So I couldn't have known that what I was about to do would endanger my life.

Jumping over the debris from the explosion, I made it to a pile of metal that the noise came from. Something was underneath! Thinking it could be Eight, I began to shift pieces around, trying to free him. Something moved again, I was getting closer! Just as I moved the last sheet of metal, I exposed a body. However, it wasn't Eight. I red glow came from its eye, and I backed away in terror. I had just freed a machine! It launched at me, and I ducked, running away to get a better look at it.

I was rather tall, and looked like an insect. What did Julius call it again? A mantis! A predatory insect that primarily uses an ambush method, and I was stupid enough to fall for it! It launched one of its talons at me, and I parried with my tekko kagi. Though I was able to prevent it from slicing me in two, it was much stronger than I was and sent me flying. I quickly got to my feet, how was I going to get out of this mess?

I scanned the area around me, looking for anything that might give me an advantage. All I saw was broken metal and stones. I figured the only thing I could do, at the moment, was run. So, I did. I wasn't sure how to best this beast, and I wasn't about to risk my life in trying to kill it. I guess I need to ask Seven and Eight to train me, but at least I could defend myself if need be. For now, anyway.

The machine sliced at the metal I had jumped on, and sent me flying again. I rolled to avoid landing heavily on one limb. It wouldn't do to have anything break on me. I started running again. This time, being careful to jump whenever it tried swiping at me. How would I get out of this one? A sudden shift in the rubble made me fall forward, my left leg sinking into the pile of metal. My leg ripping open on something sharp. I gasped in pain, grabbing at the junk around me. I tried pulling it out, but it was stuck fast. Looking back, I saw the machine getting closer to me, roaring in delight that its prey could no longer escape. I closed my eyes. How like fate to take me away when I was only just reunited with Six. I awaited for the finishing blow. _Goodbye, Six._

A roar forced me to open my eyes. But, it wasn't the roar of the beast, I opened my eyes to see, Eight! He had rushed forward, swinging a large piece of metal at the machine, holding it back. I felt an arm on my shoulder and someone knelt next to me, yelling, "Zero! It's OK, I'll get you out of here!" Five! He had found Eight, and now they were both saving me! I was supposed to save them, and here I was, the damsel in distress. It was enough to make me cry. If stitchpunks _could _cry, that is.

Five tugged at my leg and I flinched in pain. Five noticed this, and stopped, moving the metal away instead. The machine, realizing that three stitchpunks were three too many, quickly retreated, with Eight about to follow it. However, Five stopped him with a shout, "Eight, I need help!"

Turning back to us, he lolloped over and asked, "What happened?" Five turned to me, expecting an answer, but I shook my head and placed a hand to my throat. Funny, I had to do the same for One a few days ago. The only difference being, I could hear now.

Five looked surprised, "You can't talk?" I smiled sheepishly, and shook my head.

"Well, why not?" Eight stared in confusion. I looked up at him and pointed o my leg, "You can't talk because of your leg?" I face palmed and laughed. While Five looked alarmed.

"Oh, Eight! The reason I called you over is cause I need help moving the metal to get her out," Eight nodded and they both began moving the metal. It took a while, but my leg was finally free. Five helped me stand up, but I ended up falling over again. Five took a look at my leg, frowning slightly, "I don't think a mere stitching it going to help your leg, Zero."

"Why? What's wrong with it?" Was that concern I heard in Eight's voice? I looked up at the two, then down at my leg. If I had a voice, I'd be screaming. The cloth was shredded, hanging in tattered rags from where it used to be tied together, and the leg itself, was broken. It bent at an odd angle, and the metal was cut through halfway, a hole was clearly visible all the way through. I felt faint, Five placed a hand on my back to keep me steady and spoke to Eight. I wasn't paying attention.

Five shook me roughly, and I blinked, trying my best to focus on him, "Zero, where are the others? Are they at the library?" I nodded at him, he spoke to Eight again, and I was aware of the large stitchpunk picking me up before I passed out.


	12. Chapter 12

**Ahh, this chapter gave me some real trouble! Sorry it took so long to update, but I'm running out of ideas. I'm thinking that this story is just about over. No worries! To prevent that happening to my other 9 story, I've got the whole thing planned out! My apologies though, that this story is almost over. At least, I think it might be. Who knows? Maybe I'll get some inspiration on how to continue. Oh, also, my poll is still up concerning my other 9 story so check it out! It is gonna close in a couple days so, yeah. 5X10 Love, I got your vote so, don't worry 'bout it! Oh, and, sorry about the short chapter, I promise the next one will be longer! Wait a minute, one more thing before I get to the reviews, has anyone heard of the game, Naughty Bear? What do you guys think of me writing a story on it? ****I'm gonna finish this one first though!**

**5x10 Love- Glad to know you like it! Yeah, it was an epic face palm, but I had to do it! I'm sorry to say that 10 will not appear in this story though.. I just don't know how to put her in.. But! She WILL be in the other one! I already planned out how it's gonna go down!**

**Skullwitch- Yeah, I'm just evil to poor Zero, aren't I?**

**Jinxed Otaku- Yeah, no worries! Even if it's shorter than I'd like, I'm still gonna finish it, cause I hate, and I mean HATE, unfinished stories.**

I woke up back in my room at the library, someone was curled up next to me. Looking over, I saw it was Six. I smiled and snuggled closer to him, his arms wrapped around me and he smiled in his sleep. I tried falling back to sleep, but I couldn't. I didn't want to get up either, so I stayed where I was, comfortably wrapped in Six's arms for the remainder of the night.

As the sun's first rays of light shone into the library, Six started to rouse himself awake. Upon seeing that I was awake, Six hugged me close to his chest, "Zero," he whispered, causing me to shiver. I nuzzled his chest as he stroked my head softly. I'm so glad I'm home. Six pulled away from me slightly, sitting up, he stretched before telling me, "Two told me to get him when you woke up," I nodded in understanding as he left. I stared up at the ceiling in thought. Now what? I go back to being useless? What would the others think about me?

I was broken from my thoughts as Six returned with Two and Five close behind him. I sat up as Six sat next to me and Two asked me, "How are you feeling now, Zero?" I gave him a slight thumbs up and he chuckled, taking my foot in his hand. I looked down at it. It was put into a splint and the cloth was tied together just above the break. It still hurt, but not as much as before, "That's some break you have there. What were you doing?"

I pointed to Five and he smiled, rubbing the back of his head. I noticed he managed to get his patch replaced as he answered Two, "She was fighting a machine over by the old factory. She got caught in the wreckage but, luckily, Eight and I weren't too far away."

"I see," Two muttered, glancing down at the ground in thought before looking back up at Five, "Would you be willing to describe the machine to the others? Perhaps we can come up with a plan to destroy it," Five nodded to his mentor before turning and walking out of the room. Two turned to me, "The twins had been frantic when you left. They want to see you."

I smiled at him, nodding that I wanted to see them too and he walked out of the room. Six gave me another hug and I cuddled close to him. Just then, the twins burst into the room, both latching on to either side of me and shaking in silent sobs of relief. I rubbed their heads softly until they managed to calm down, both looking up to me and flashed their optics in worry.

"_Why did you leave again? We were so worried! Why didn't you just come back with One?"_

I looked down at the smaller Four, Six managed to answer for me since I couldn't talk, "She felt useless. Had to find and help the others to make us whole again."

I nodded and looked at Three as he pulled on my arm, _"But, you're not worthless. You weren't built to fight or anything, you were built to remember. That's your purpose."_

I gazed at him sadly, that may be what I was made for, but how could I tell him that it wasn't enough to simply remember everything that happens? I need to experience things and actually be a part of what's going on. However, I merely patted their heads, and moved to the side of my bed, about to get up. Six put his hands on my shoulders, keeping me down on the bed.

I looked up at him and he shook his head, "No, not well enough to walk around yet," I nodded as all three stitchpunks in the room went out of their way to make me more comfortable, Three lifting my legs and placing them on the bed, Six leaning me back to lay down, and Four covered me with a blanket. I smiled at them, they were spoiling me and they knew it for they beamed back at me. Each twin grabbed one of my hands and Six kissed my head before leaving the room to let me rest. My optics closed and I drifted off to sleep.


	13. Chapter 13

Hello from the grave, my loyal readers! Not really, but I have been gone for a long time, haven't I? I'm sorry that this isn't an actual update, I'll try to get new chapters up now that I FINALLY have internet again! However, work is being a bitch right now, so that may take some time. No worries though! I have not forgotten you! Or my stories for that matter! I don't really have much else to say. Now, I need to sleep cause I leave for work in a few hours, again... Hopefully you guys can bear with me a little longer!


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